Keya wins Southern India golf title after tense playoff

Delhi’s Keya Kumar Badugu overcame a nerve-wracking playoff to beat Kolkata’s Anaahat Bindra and clinch the Ladies title at the IGU Bio-Gen Rotary Southern India Golf Championship for Ladies and Junior Girls on Friday.

Keya and Anaahat finished tied at one-under-par 215 after 54 holes, forcing a playoff to decide the winner.

Keya carded rounds of 73, 71 and 71, while Anaahat returned scores of 70, 72 and 73. Priya Kumari finished third with an aggregate of 220 after rounds of 75, 70 and 75.

Anaahat made an impressive start, taking the first-round lead with a two-under-par 70, three strokes ahead of Keya.

She maintained her advantage with an even-par 72 in the second round, while Keya’s one-under-par 71 lifted her to second place and cut the deficit to two strokes heading into the final day.

The final round witnessed a dramatic turnaround in the closing stages.

Keya was two-over-par for the day after 14 holes but produced three consecutive birdies on the 15th, 16th and 17th to move to one-under for the round. She then parred the 18th to card a 71 and finish the championship at one-under-par 215.

Anaahat, who had led the field through the first two rounds, returned a final-round 73, featuring birdies on the first and 10th holes. With the two golfers inseparable after 54 holes, the title was decided in a playoff, where Keya held her nerve to emerge victorious.

The championship is an important fixture on the Indian Golf Union’s national calendar, bringing together leading women amateur golfers and promising junior players from across the country.