SSP Chowrasia Bags
Initial 2011 Victory

NEW DELHI, INDIA | Local favorite SSP Chowrasia went through an agonizing wait before winning his second European Tour title Sunday at the Avantha Masters. Victory wasn’t secure until Englishman Robert Coles’ title dreams died on the final hole.

SSP stands for Shiv Shankar Prasad. For now, it also stands for Singular Significant Performance. Chowrasia fired a pair of 67s on the weekend at the DLF Golf and Country Club to finish on 15-under 273 and earn €300,000.

The 32-year-old Chowrasia is the son of a greenkeeper and also answers to the nickname “ Chip-putt-sia” because of his proficiency in the short game. But it was a semi-skulled chip by runner-up Coles on the 72nd hole that allowed Chowrasia to avoid a playoff he thought was inevitable after he made a double-bogey on the 16th.

“It was just a really awkward shot,” said Coles of the botched attempt. Coles then compounded the error by three-putting.

“I was mentally prepared for the playoff,” said Chowrasia, who built his final round lead with seven birdies on the first 14 holes. His first Euro Tour victory

came in the 2008 EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters when he outlasted, among others, Ernie Els.

It was the first Euro Tour win for an Indian since Jeev Milkha Singh won the Austrian Open later in 2008.

“I think the main lesson to take from it is that you have to adapt to those situations under that pressure with the adrenaline flowing,” Coles added.

U.S. Open Championship runner-up Gregory Havret of France finished third on 13 under after a closing 68.

Robert-Jan Derksen of the Nethlerlands
was one back of Havret alone in fourth on 12

under. Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal and India’s
Sujjan Singh tied for fifth on 11 under.
On Thursday, Derksen’s opening 66
gave him the first-round lead and,
apparently, bragging rights.
After posting his score,
Derksen talked about his post-
tournament plans. “I have a
bet with my caddie that we
will take the trophy to the Taj
Mahal on Monday for a photo
shoot – but I have to win the thing
first, which I suppose is the dif-
ficult thing.”
It got more difficult when Derk-
sen handed in a second-round 73.