Saturday, February 13, 2016

Seasoned pro Feroz Ali Mollah ends four-year title drought at CIAL Cochin Masters


Feroz Ali Mollah 

Kochi, February 13, 2016: Veteran and former Indian Open champion Feroz Ali Mollah of Kolkata heaved a sigh of relief at the CIAL Golf Club on Saturday as he ended his four-year victory drought with a one-shot triumph at the CIAL Cochin Masters presented by PGTI. The 46-year-old shot scores of 70, 68, 73 and 69 to end up with a winning tournament total of eight-under-280 in the opening event of PGTI’s landmark 10th season.

Bengaluru’s M Dharma and Delhi’s Vikrant Chopra were joint runners-up at seven-under-281 at the Rs. 60 lakh event.

Feroz Ali Mollah’s top-notch performance this week saw him turn the clock back to the 90s, a decade when he was one of the dominant figures in Indian professional golf. Feroz, who has over 50 titles in his kitty, once again produced the magic of old in Kochi to add more silverware to his already overflowing trophy cabinet.

It was a day of fluctuating fortunes as the lead kept changing hands between Feroz, overnight leader M Dharma (72-66-71-72) and Vikrant Chopra (72-72-69-68), who was tied fifth after round three.

Feroz himself had a roller-coaster front-nine as he alternated between birdies and bogeys from the second through the seventh. The highlight of his outward nine was the chip for eagle on the sixth that missed the hole by a whisker.

Mollah, who last won a title in late 2011, turned the tide on the back-nine thanks to his much-improved putting and a couple of long range conversions. The man known for his colourful attire on the course came up with four birdies against a lone bogey on his inward nine to close the week with a three-under-69.

“I dedicate this win to my wife and two kids. I was really hungry for a win since a long time. I thought I’ll give my family a gift this year by winning an event since they hadn’t seen me win in ages,” said Feroz.

He added, “I putted better on the back-nine today. I didn’t think too much about the other contenders but played my own game. I’ve switched to a new set of irons and that too helped my cause.

“The competition is getting tougher with each passing year with younger and fitter players arriving on the scene. However, it is my experience that has helped me in competing with the next generation. I play a lot of tournaments round the year, not only in India but also on local tours in South East Asia. I believe in match practice more than practicing at the range. This approach has kept me going. A brilliant start to the new season here would do wonders to my confidence,” said Mollah, who took home the winning cheque worth Rs. 9 lakh to lead the Rolex Ranking.

For M Dharma it was another near miss after his playoff loss in Mumbai late last year. He had a forgettable start to the day having lost his ball on the first and subsequently dropping a double-bogey. The 29-year-old rallied with birdies on the second and fourth but could not convert his opportunities on the back-nine.

Dharma finally had a 15-feet birdie conversion opportunity on the 18th to take the match into a playoff with Feroz. However, the putt circled the hole in dramatic fashion before stopping at the lip to deny him a shot at the title.
   
Dharma said, “After the initial setback on the first, I knew I’ll be back in the game soon. However, there were lots of opportunities missed in the second half. I thought I had nailed the final putt but was shattered to see it lip out. Nonetheless, these losses have only made me mentally stronger for the future.”

 Vikrant Chopra, who was four-under through the first-nine, too was in contention till the very end until he bogeyed the 17th with a three-putt and then missed the green on the 18th to make par.

Noida’s Gaurav Pratap Singh produced the day’s best of 66 to claim a share of fourth place at six-under-282 along with Meerut’s Sudhir Sharma.

The two rookies to make the cut, Mumbai’s Shivam Ashok Tibrewal (seven-over-295) and Delhi-based Gunvir Rana (nine-over-297), posted respectable finishes of tied 34th and tied 40threspectively in their maiden professional event.

Prize Presentation Picture Caption:
Feroz Ali Mollah (extreme left) receives the winner's cheque and trophy from Mr. Gopal Krishna, GM, CIAL (4th from left). Also seen in the picture are Mr. Lakshman, GM, Courtyard by Marriott, Kochi Airport (2nd from left), Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI (3rd from left), Maj. Gen. K J Koshi, AVSM, Advisor, CIAL Golf Club (5th from left) and Mr. Joseph Peter, AGM, CIAL (extreme right).

PGTI Press release

M Dharma enjoys two-shot cushion ahead of final round

Kochi, February 12, 2016: Bengaluru’s M Dharma posted a steady one-under-71 at the CIAL Golf Club on Friday to move into a two-shot lead in round three of the CIAL Cochin Masters presented by PGTI. Dharma’s total stood at seven-under-209 on the penultimate day of the Rs. 60 lakh event. Sanjay Kumar of Lucknow, who shot the day’s best of four-under-68, occupied tied second place along with Kolkata’s Feroz Ali Mollah at five-under-211.

M Dharma (72-66-71), the overnight joint leader, emerged as the sole leader on day three after a sedate but solid round of 71. Dharma had a slow start to the third round. He made pars on the first four holes before making a brilliant recovery from the rough to add another par on the fifth. However, he wasn’t as lucky on the sixth where he found the hazard and as a result dropped a shot.

A 12-feet birdie conversion on the seventh brought the 29-year-old back to level par for the day. But an ordinary wedge shot on the ninth saw Dharma slip back to one-over. The former winner on the PGTI had a far better back-nine. He sank a 15-feet birdie on the 11th before finding the green in two on the par-5 16th where he picked up another shot.

Dharma said, “I stuck to my routine today. I didn’t try anything spectacular since the conditions were tough. The course was soft due to yesterday’s rain and the wind also came into play. The par-3s required four-iron and five-iron shots today.

“I decided to just hang in there after my first bogey on the sixth. I was delighted to have hit all greens on the back-nine despite the wind picking up on that stretch. The birdie on the 16th was crucial as it gave me a decent lead.

“I just need to keep my calm and repeat my swing in the final round in order to stay in contention. As scoring has not been easy this week, I think hitting an under-par round on the final day could set me up for a win,” said Dharma, who lost in a playoff in Mumbai last December after leading in round three.

Sanjay Kumar (73-70-68) earned the reward for shooting the day’s best score of 68 as he climbed up from overnight tied ninth to tied second place. Sanjay made six birdies against two bogeys on Friday. His birdies included three long putts from a range of 15 to 20 feet.

Feroz Ali Mollah (70-68-73), the overnight joint leader, slipped to tied second after his third round of 73.

Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow was fourth at four-under-212 while the fifth spot was shared between Delhi’s Vikrant Chopra, Sudhir Sharma of Meerut and Jaipur’s Vishal Singh at three-under-213.

PGTI Press release




M Dharma, Feroz Ali Mollah surge three shots ahead in round two

 M Dharma 
Kochi, February 11, 2016: M Dharma of Bengaluru and Kolkata’s Feroz Ali Mollah surged ahead on day two of the CIAL Cochin Masters presented by PGTI being played at the CIAL Golf Club in Kochi. Dharma and Feroz shot scores of six-under-66 and four-under-68 respectively to hold the joint lead at six-under-138 at the Rs. 60 lakh event. The trio of Jaipur’s Vishal Singh, Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow and Noida’s Gaurav Pratap Singh were tied third at three-under-141.  

The cut was declared at five-over-149 on a day that saw early morning rain and the subsequent one-hour delay in start of play. A total of fifty-six professionals made the cut.

M Dharma (72-66), who was overnight tied 13th as a result of his first round 72, powered his way to the top of the leaderboard after a brilliant 66 on day two. Dharma had a solid start on Thursday as he produced a terrific approach on the 11th to tap-in for birdie. However, a poor second shot on the 13th led to a bogey and pushed him back to level-par.

Dharma, a winner on the PGTI in 2013, then stitched together four successive birdies from the 14th to 17th to get on a roll. He chipped-in after missing the green on the par-3 14th and thereafter made chip-putts from the edge on the next two holes. The 29-year-old made it four birdies in a row on the 17th when he drained a 20-footer. Dharma gained two more strokes on the first and sixth where he landed his wedges within three feet.

Dharma, who finished 12th in the Rolex Ranking last year, said, “I played the par-5s well today and also came up with a few good wedge shots. The four consecutive birdies on the back-nine set me up today. I also made my longest puttin two days, the 20-footer on the 17th.

“The conditions weren’t easy as the course was playing longer due to the early morning rain. I’ve brought the confidence from my top-3 finish at the Sri Lankan Open last week into this event. I did well on the PGTI towards to the end of last year and now want to take my game a notch higher.”

Former Indian Open champion Feroz Ali Mollah (70-68) mixed six birdies and two bogeys in his second round of 68 to move up from overnight tied fifth to joint first. Mollah, placed 28th in the Rolex Ranking 2015, landed his wedges within five feet on four occasions for birdies. He also sank a 20-feet birdie putt on the eighth.

Feroz, who last won an event in 2011, said, “I recently changed my irons and I feel that has had a positive effect on my hitting. My impact during hitting is better. I believe I can win a tournament this year. I’ll be looking to improve on my putting from here on.”

Vishal Singh shot the tournament’s best score so far, a seven-under-65, to move into joint third at three-under-141. Vishal landed it within five to seven feet on all seven occasions where he picked up birdies.

Round one joint leader Om Prakash Chouhan slipped to tied third after his second round of 73. Gaurav Pratap Singh fired a 68 to also grab a share of third place.

The Delhi trio of overnight joint leader Shivendra Singh Sisodia, Shamim Khan and Gunvir Rana were tied sixth at two-under-142.


Defending champion Mukesh Kumar (73-78) missed the cut as he totaled seven-over-151 for two days to be tied 59th.

PGTI Press release

Om Prakash Chouhan and Shivendra Singh Sisodia share the honours in round one

Om Prakash Chouhan
Kochi, February 10, 2016: Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow and Delhi’s Shivendra Singh Sisodia shared the spoils in round one of the PGTI’s season opener, the CIAL Cochin Masters presented by PGTI. Chouhan and Sisodia fired scores of four-under-68 at the Rs. 60 lakh event being played at the CIAL Golf Club in Kochi. The duo was one stroke ahead of Bengaluru’s C Muniyappa and Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu.

Om Prakash Chouhan, a winner of four titles, was off to a splendid start as he landed his approach within three feet on his opening hole, the 10th, for a relatively easy birdie. Chouhan then failed to recover from the bunker on the 14th and dropped a stroke. The Madhya Pradesh lad produced a couple of good chip shots on the 16th and 18th, the latter for a chip-in, to make the turn at two-under.

Om Prakash, ranked ninth in the Rolex Ranking in 2015, faltered with a bogey on the second after finding the rough but came roaring back with birdie conversions from a distance of five to 10 feet on the fourth, sixth and ninth.

“I’m glad to have started the season on a positive note. I enjoyed a good 2015 season as I was very consistent and finished inside the top-10 of the Rolex Ranking. I worked very hard in the one month break between the two seasons to tune up my game further. Hopefully, all that hard work will be reflected in my scores in the coming months,” said the 29-year-old Chouhan.

He added, “The course is playing tougher and longer this year and the professionals will have their work cut out. The rough and trees on either side of the fairways have grown and that will have an impact on the scores.

“I did really well with the wedges today and the chip-in on the 18th was the highlight of the day.”

Shivendra Singh Sisodia, who earned his full card after finishing 29th in the PGTI Qualifying School last month, shared the honours on day one with Chouhan. Sisodia made seven birdies against three bogeys.

Shivendra, a 10th tee starter, landed his wedges within five feet for birdies on the 11th, 15th and 16th. He drained a 15-footer for birdie on the 18th. His lone bogey on the back-nine came on the 14th where he found the hazard.

Sisodia had a tougher time on the front-nine where he made three birdies and two bogeys. He sank a second consecutive 15-feet birdie putt on the first and made tap-in birdies on the second and eighth. The 26-year-old, who secured his PGTI card for the second year in succession, also missed two chip-putts for bogeys on the seventh and ninth.

Sisodia said, “My bunker shots and putting were outstanding today. I played much better in the first half on the back-nine. However, the swirling wind affected my performance on the front-nine.”

He added, “My good performance at the Q School this year has given me the much needed confidence for the 2016 season.”

Former Indian Open champion C Muniyappa made three tap-in birdies during his bogey-free round of three-under-69 to be tied third. Ajeetesh Sandhu also took a share of the third spot as his round featured five birdies and two bogeys.

Gurgaon-based Digvijay Singh, Feroz Ali Mollah of Kolkata, Meerut’s Sudhir Sharma and Delhi’s Kapil Kumar were joint fifth at two-under-70.

Defending champion Mukesh Kumar of Mhow occupied tied 20th place at one-over-73.  

PGTI Press release



Saturday, February 6, 2016

12th South Asian Games inaugurated with fanfare

Guwahati, February 5, 2016: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the 12th South Asian Games, 2016 in a glittering ceremony at the Sarusajai Sports Complex in Guwahati before a rapturous and capacity crowd . A host of dignitaries were present on the occasion including, the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports (IC), Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma, the Governors of Assam and Meghalaya , the Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan among others.

Declaring the Games open, Prime Minister Modi, welcomed all participants. Espousing on the theme of ‘Atithi Devo Bhabo’, he urged all to enjoy the hospitality and scenic beauty of the North East and compete with togetherness, teamwork and talent. The Prime Minister further said that his vision for South Asia is the same with his vision for India -- that is, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Describing the Games as a springboard for the overall development of the North East India, India as a whole and the South East Asia, he asked all to play for Peace, Prosperity and Progress. He also said that 21% population of the world resides in South East Asia contributing 9% of the world economy. He said that this Game will further strengthen cooperation among the SAARC countries.

The inauguration ceremony was started by the team parade. The participating nations, decked out in their traditional dresses made their way into the ground amidst huge cheers from the packed audience. Each participating nations carried waters from one of their major rivers and the Indian Ocean. The waters were later merged into the Brahmaputra, symbolizing the confluence of the nations and the way forward in harmony and togetherness.

The Flame of the 12th South Asian Games was brought into the grounds by Gagan Nareng and was relayed through by eminent sport personalities including Monalisa Mehta, Bhogeshwar Baruah, Anju Bobby Goerge , Krishna Poonia and Rani Nagpal. Baichung Bhutia did the final lap and lit the digital flames in the centre of the ground.

The cultural show, which followed the flame lighting ceremony, was a glittering spectacle showcasing the confluence of the digital and the traditional. Immersing the grounds in a show of vivid colours and lights, the show started with the theme song of the Games, ‘Ai Prithibi Ek Krirangan’. The song originally composed by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, it was performed by artists’ Mayukh Hazarika, Lou Majao and others and spreads the message of peace and harmony through sports. It was followed by a colourful display of the traditional dances of the region and song performances by artists like Zubin Garg, Angaraag Mahanta and Nahid Afrin.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs (IC), Sarbanada Sonowal welcomed all participants to the states of Assam and Meghalaya and spoke on the huge opportunity the Games 
represented for the North East. Chief Minister of Assam Shri Tarun Gogoi, compared the mascot Tikhor to the spirit of the Games and espoused all to imbibe the values represented by him. Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Mukul Sangma, echoing the same sentiments stated that the North East comprises of a great talent pool of sports and asked all participants to indulge in the distinct lifestyle and culture the region represents.


The 12th South Asian Games, 2016 is the first international multi-sporting mega event in the North Eastern region. Athletes from eight member countries namely – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be participating. Around 3500 athletes and sports officials from 8 countries are participating in the biggest ever sporting spectacle in the North East India. 

Press release

Jwala Gutta and K Srikanth confident for the 12th South Asian Games

New Delhi, February 5, 2016: The 12th South Asian Games commencing today at Guwahati, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) announced Jwala Gutta as the captain of the Indian Women Badminton team while K Srikanth will be leading the Indian Men Badminton team to be held at Shillong from 6th to 10th February 2016.

Speaking on the announcement, Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta, President, Badminton Association of India said “We are confident of all the players who will be playing and I am sure that all medals in the Badminton category will be bagged by the Indian team. I wish them Good Luck for the upcoming clashes”.

Speaking on the announcement Jwala Gutta said: “The Indian players have been a force to reckon with in recent times and we are confident of a clean sweep during the 12th South Asian Games. All the players are in form and we are excited about the upcoming clashes. Personally I have been feeling myself to be in good form and will play as per the game plan that I have put in place”.

Commenting on the upcoming clashes, K Srikanth said: “We are a strong team and we will go all out for a win. The boys are looking forward to the games ahead and if all goes to plan we will surely win all our matches and the medals.  While the boys are confident, we will not allow it to take things for granted and will fight till the winning point”.

The Indian team will reach Shillong today (5th February), post that they will go for their practice between 5.00 to 6.00 p.m at SAI North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) campus, Shillong.


The 11th South Asian Games under the Badminton Category was ruled by the Indian players as they won all 7 gold medals within both Men and Women events, the players will aim to achieve the same feat in the upcoming 12th South Asian Games.

Press release

Guwahati, Shillong all set to host 12th South Asian Games

Guwahati, February 4, 2016: Guwahati and Shillong are all set to host 12th South Asian Games commencing tomorrow. The games will be inaugurated by Hon'ble Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi at 5:30 pm and the opening ceremony will see cultural performances by local artists and school children.

The SAG will see participation of nearly 3500 athletes from eight countries competing against each other in 23 disciplines. The participating countries are hosts India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives and Bangladesh. Amongst all the participating nations, the hosts India are fielding maximum number of its players nearly 700 including most of the top sportspersons.  

Indian Olympic Association Secretary General, Secretary General- South Asian Federation Games and Co-Convener Executive Committee of OC-SAG Mr. Rajeev Mehta who arrived this morning in Guwahati said “All the preparations for the SAG are done and all 12 stadiums are ready to host this mega event commencing tomorrow. The technical preparations for the conduct of the games are already and test events have been conducted at various venues to ensure smooth conduct of games. I am confident that with the efforts of Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, State Governments, we will be able to deliver best games in the north east region and the games will be remembered for long. I would like to wish goodluck to all the athletes and coaches participating in this mega event”.


“As this time we are fielding highest number of our contingent in the game, I am hopeful that India will win maximum number of medals in the SAG Games. SAG will be an ideal opportunity for our athletes preparing for Rio Olympic Games” added Mr. Mehta.

Press release

Bihar thrash Andhra Pradesh in Junior National football

Patna, February 4, 2016: Bihar beat Andhra Pradesh 5 - 0 in the Junior National Football Championship for Dr BC Roy Trophy in Bilaspur today.

Lakpa D Mukta opened the account for Bihar in the 12th minute. Prdaeep Dora increased the lead in the 22nd minute.

Bihar captain Sunil Chettry made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute. Bihar were leading 3-0 in the first half.
Amman Kumar scored a goal in the 54th minute to make it 4-0 while he Amman again found the target in the 74th minute to complete the tally.


Now, Bihar will take on Maharashtra on February 7.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Vijender’s fourth pro fight at Liverpool rescheduled to March 12

Manchester, February 2, 2016: Boxing sensation Vijender Singh’s fourth pro fight has been rescheduled from February 13 to March 12, 2016 at Echo Arena Liverpool. His opponent for the fourth fight will be announced soon.

The reason for rescheduling this fight is due to an injury to WBO World Lightweight Champion Terry Flanagan who was to take on world title defence against Derry Mathews.

The Mathews versus Flanagan showdown remains the headline attraction on the title packed show and the other title fights will stay the same, which are: red-hot 160 pound talent Tommy Langford’s defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight title defence against Lewis Taylor and English Cruiserweight Champion Matty Askin’s seeks justice in his rematch against Lawrence Bennett.  

The undercard will feature some of the best domestic talent: Former IBF World Bantamweight Champion Paul Butler, Indian superstar Vijender Singh, and Liverpool top talents Tom Stalker, Steven Lewis, Ryan Farrag, Kevin Satchell, hot Manchester prospects Macaulay McGowan and Zelpha Barrett, and Leicester ace Lyon Woodstock.

Vijender Singh made a brilliant start of his professional career last year winning all three fights.

Commenting on rescheduling of his fight Vijender Singh “It’s very unfortunate that my fight on 13th February is rescheduled because of an injury to the contender of title fight. But nevertheless, I am preparing hard and waiting for 12th March 2016 when I see my opponent in the ring. I am doing more sparring and physical workout these days and it will help me to prepare myself for more rounds”.

 Promoter Frank Warren said, “We’re all disappointed that Terry has suffered an injury and is unable to make the original date, but we’ve worked hard to ensure the mouthwatering world title showdown between Flanagan and Mathews remains the top of the bill for the new date of Saturday 12th March.  I maintain that it’s going to be real war between these two warriors who are going to put everything on the line on the night.  The rest of the card will remain the same with Langford and Askin in title defences and an undercard stacked with talent.”

Press release



Mayur, Natasha emerge JVPG tennis champs


Mumbai, January 31, 2016: The top seeds, Mohit Mayur of TN and Natasha Palha of Goa, lived up to their billing, lifting the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively in the Rs 13 lakh AITA Ranking Anirudh Desai JVPG Tennis Tournament, hosted by JVPG, in association with Nine Hills, at their courts, here, on Sunday.

Defending champion Natasha weathered a tough challenge from the unseeded Mumbai lass Rashmi Teltumbde in the first set before winning the tie-breaker 7-4 and running away with the second set to win 7-6 (4), 6-2.

In contrast, Mayur dominated the third seed from Pune, Anvit Bendre in the first set winning 6-2 and seemed on his way to make the final a no-contest when he jumped to a 5-0 lead with two breaks of serve in the second. However, a late resurgence from the third seed, which saw him claw his way to 4-5 from 0-5 down, had the goodly crowd on its feet. But the experienced Mayur kept his cool when it mattered most and with Bendre slipping back into error mode, while serving in the 10thgame, broke his rival to seal the set and match.

Mayur took home the winner’s purse of Rs 1.35 lakhs and 60 AITA points, while Bendre earned Rs 80,000 and 45 AITA points. Natasha was richer by Rs 80,000 and 60 AITA points, while Rashmi had to be content with Rs 50,000 and 45 AITA points.

It was consistency against flair in the women’s final and while Rashmi impressed with her wide repertoire of shots, especially the inside out forehand which always caught Natasha on the wrong foot, she did not help her cause with a slew of unforced errors, especially in the tie-breaker. The second set saw Natasha breaking early and then again in the seventh game before serving out the match.

Bendre appeared jaded in the first set of the final against Mayur, reaching the balls late, over hitting and even tanking a few easy kills. Matters went further downhill in the second as Bendre kept committing unforced errors and Mayur had do nothing special but just focus on keeping the ball in play. However, Bendre suddenly seemed to find his rhythm after holding serve in the sixth game. He began finding the spots with his down the line forehand and backhand shots to surprise Mayur. Bendre broke the top seed twice to come back into the match at 4-5, but once again slipped into mediocrity when serving to level scores and lost the game at love to give Mayur the match.

Final results:
Men: 1-Mohit Mayur (TN) bt 3-Anvit Bendre (Mah) 6-2, 6-4
Women: 1-Natasha Palha (Goa) bt Rashmi Teltumbde (Mah) 7-6 (4), 6-2


Pic Caption : Men's singles winner Mohit Mayur(left) and Women's Singles winner Natasha Palha (right) seen with Shweta Patel (centre) , daughter of Anirudh Desai at the finals of the Rs 13 lakh AITA Ranking Anirudh Desai JVPG Tennis Tournament, hosted by JVPG, in association with Nine Hills, at their courts, in Mumbai, on Sunday.