Rajasthan Regals Triumph in Inaugural PGTI 72 The League Championship
Rajasthan Regals Make History
The Rajasthan Regals have etched their name in the annals of Indian professional golf by clinching the first-ever PGTI's 72 The League title, decisively defeating the UP Prometheans with a score of 12-3 at the Qutab Golf Course on Friday.
Having advanced to the finals as the second-best team from the five-round league, the Regals avenged their earlier 4-10 defeat to the Prometheans in the fifth round, as reported by PGTI. The champions were awarded the exquisite Vibhor Sogani-designed trophy along with a cash prize of INR 1 crore, while the runners-up received a silver salver and INR 50 lakh.
Regals Showcase Dominance in the Final Match
The Prometheans fielded their top players, unbeaten captain Shaurya Bhattacharya and Arjun Prasad, in the singles matches. However, the Regals countered effectively with Jairaj Singh Sandhu, who triumphed over Bhattacharya 4&3, and Akshay Sharma, who secured a 2&1 victory against Prasad.
With just one win needed from the remaining three matches, Rajasthan sealed their victory when Aryaman Mohan and Yuvraj Singh defeated Joshua Seale and Arjun Sharma on the 18th hole. Young Mohan had the honor of sinking the winning putt after tying the final hole.
Final Match Results
In the other four-ball matches, Regals captain Ajeetesh Sandhu faced his first loss of the tournament alongside Michele Ortolani, while Chikkarangappa S and Dhruv Sheoran contributed to the 12-3 scoreline with a 2&1 win over Gaurav Pratap Singh and Pranav Mardikar.
Winning Team's Reflections
A jubilant Sandhu expressed, "Leading this talented group has been an incredible honor. From the auction, I sensed our team's depth, but the chemistry we developed was remarkable. This journey over the past two weeks has been unforgettable, and we are proud to be the first champions of this tournament."
Mohan shared his nerves while preparing for the winning putt, stating, "Even though it was a short putt, my hands were shaking. I’ve made similar putts before, but this one felt different. Thankfully, Yuvraj was there to support me."
Prometheans' Captain Reflects on the Loss
Bhattacharya acknowledged that it was simply not their day, saying, "We played well throughout the tournament, but luck was not on our side today. It will take time to process this loss, but we had a strong run and will return even stronger next year."
Plate Championship Results
The Charminar Champions secured the Plate Championship, finishing third ahead of the Kolkata Classics. Charminar received a cheque for INR 20 lakh after narrowly missing the finals against Rajasthan due to a countback, as both teams ended the league stage with 43 points.
Final Match Summary
FINAL: RAJASTHAN REGALS BEAT UP PROMETHEANS 12-3
Singles: Jairaj Singh Sandhu defeated Shaurya Bhattacharya 4&3
Akshay Sharma defeated Arjun Prasad 2&1
Fourballs: Michele Ortolani/Ajeetesh Sandhu lost to Abhinav Lohan/Manoj S 3&2
Chikkarangappa S/Dhruv Sheoran defeated Gaurav Pratap Singh/Pranav Mardikar 2&1
Foursomes: Aryaman Mohan/Yuvraj Singh defeated Joshua Seale/Arjun Sharma 1-up
Plate Championship Standings
Plate Championship
3rd: Charminar Champions - 122 points
4th: Kolkata Classics - 110 points
5th: Mumbai Aces - 109 points
6th: Nava Raipur - 109 points