Haryana Open 2024: Varun Parikh edges out Rahil Gangjee in classic playoff encounter to win

Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh edged out Bengaluru’s Rahil Gangjee in a classic playoff encounter to win the INR 1 crore Haryana Open 2024 played at the Panchkula Golf Club (PGC) here on Sunday. Parikh (64-71-67-69) prevailed over Gangjee (63-71-67-70) on the fourth playoff hole to bag his second professional title after the two golfers had finished the regulation 72 holes with identical totals of 17-under 271.

The 26-year-old Parikh, who hails from the Gulmohar Greens Golf Course in Ahmedabad, earned a cheque worth INR 15 lakh and thus climbed from 48th to 16th position in the PGTI Rankings.

Dhruv Sheoran (67) of Gurugram finished third at 16-under 272 while the trio of Delhi’s Sachin Baisoya (69), Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma (70), and Gurugram-based Veer Ahlawat (70) took tied fourth place at 14-under 274. Ahlawat stretched his lead further in the PGTI Ranking as he crossed the INR 1 crore mark in the season’s earnings.

Parikh, who began the final day in second position one shot behind the leader Gangjee, trailed the latter for the most part of the fourth round. Parikh had a slow start as he made two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine even as Rahil made a birdie and a bogey.

Parikh then recovered well from the rough to make a 20-foot birdie conversion on the 10th. He picked up another stroke on the 11th. Meanwhile, Gangjee added three birdies between the 10th and the 13th to stay ahead.

The tide began to turn in Parikh’s favour when he sank a crucial 30-footer for birdie on the 17th while Gangjee dropped a bogey on the same hole. The two-shot swing meant both golfers were tied for the lead. Thereafter, Parikh made a clutch par putt from 10 feet on the 18th to take the match into a playoff.

Both players made steady pars on the first three playoff holes. On the fourth playoff hole, Gangjee missed a chip-putt from the back edge of the green to drop a bogey while Varun made a comfortable par to come home the champion.

Parikh, who won his last pro title two years back, said, “I was in a good mental space from the start of this week. I was quite calm and relaxed. Today, I feel the turning point was the 17th hole where I made a 30-footer for birdie. That just gave me the much-needed momentum which also helped me make that all-important par putt on the next hole to force the playoff.

“I’m delighted to have finally crossed the line after a two-year gap. In the playoff, I was striking it really well but not making the birdie putts so that was quite frustrating. But I told myself to keep fighting and not let go of the intensity. This positive mindset helped me to seal it at the end. My driving and putting stood out through the week,” he was quoted as saying in a release by PGTI.