The unpredictability, and its ability to keep spectators and followers on tenterhooks till the very end is what makes golf so alluring. And there is also the element of Lady Luck. The final day of the Hero Honda Masters kept everybody glued to the leader board as there were quite a few contenders at the start of the day.South African Sammy Daniels, who has yet to win on this tour he has just started competing in Asia played great to stay in the hunt. On the 14th he was stuck in the left bush with his second. He stayed in the bush with his third, then pulled on his water-proof trousers, fixed himself into the bush and chipped to two feet and saved his par.
He came to the 18th green, 10-under for the day with a chip and a putt for birdie, with Jyoti Randhawa for company.
Just as he began to address his birdie putt, someone from the terrace shouted out, which not only disturbed Sammy, but may even have cost him the tournament.
Lady Luck did her bit for Jyoti. Jyoti, who had birdied the 17th to go10-under, saw his second shot head for the left bushes. However, it hit a captains buggy parked right there and ended on the edge of the 18th green. Jyoti made his chip and putt to successfully defend his title, something only Boonchu Ruangkit achieved at the Myanmar Open on the APGA tour. There was one more hero on the final day. It was Mohammed Islam with an ace on the fifth. His prize: A choice between a new Hero Honda CBZ bike and US $ 3000 dollars. He chose the latter.
Jeev finally lived up to his reputation as he brought in the best card of the tournament.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.