Keita Nakajima was never really threatened at the USD 2.25 mliion Hero Indian Open as he won by four shots and set a record for a winning total by aggregating 17-under, three better than the winning score of 2023 achieved by Germany’s Marcel Siem, who was injured and couldn’t defend his title this year.
Nakajima’s win was never in doubt, it was only about the margin of victory. At one stage, Nakajima was nine clear of the field, but finally finished four ahead to take his maiden DP World Tour title at the DLF Golf and Country Club. After touching 21-under after eight holes on the final day, he dropped a double bogey and three bogeys against one birdie in the last five holes to finish 17-under and four clear of three players, including India’s Veer Ahlawat, American Johannes Veerman and Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg.
Nakajima’s win was never in doubt, it was only about the margin of victory. At one stage, Nakajima was nine clear of the field, but finally finished four ahead to take his maiden DP World Tour title at the DLF Golf and Country Club. After touching 21-under after eight holes on the final day, he dropped a double bogey and three bogeys against one birdie in the last five holes to finish 17-under and four clear of three players, including India’s Veer Ahlawat, American Johannes Veerman and Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg.
It was Nakajima’s fifth title, after four on the Japanese Tour, which includes one as an amateur, where he topped the 2023 Order of Merit to earn his DP World Tour card.
There was a lot to cheer for the local fans as local golfer Veer Ahlawat produced a grandstand finish with an eagle for a round of 1-under 71 after a mid-round run of four bogeys between the sixth and the 14th. The Tied-second was Ahlawat’s best finish on the DP World Tour and should get him into the next event in Korea in a fortnight’s time.
Ahlawat was the top Indian for the second year in a row, after being T-13 last year with Shubhankar Sharma (72), who this time ended T-31st.
Manu Gandas (71) who played the DP World Tour in 2023, was the next best Indian, just outside the Top-10 in Tied-11th place, which was his best finish on the Tour.
Apart from Ahlawat and Gandas, the other Indians were Karandeep Kochhar (69) in T-13, Shubhankar Sharma (72) in T-31, Aman Raj (78) in T-51, Jairaj Singh Sandhu (71) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) in T-58 and Rashid Khan (78) in T-65.
Nakajima was thrilled even as he admitted some nervousness. “I’m very happy to win the Indian National Open. The National Open is a very good tournament. So this win feels like my first win in a professional career, a new career. I’m going to try to win and go to the next step.I’m very proud to have won on the DP World Tour and very honoured to be playing here. I want to try and finish on the top ten on this tour and then go to the PGA TOUR in 2025.”
Ahlawat was the top Indian for the second year in a row, after being T-13 last year with Shubhankar Sharma (72), who this time ended T-31st.
Manu Gandas (71) who played the DP World Tour in 2023, was the next best Indian, just outside the Top-10 in Tied-11th place, which was his best finish on the Tour.
Apart from Ahlawat and Gandas, the other Indians were Karandeep Kochhar (69) in T-13, Shubhankar Sharma (72) in T-31, Aman Raj (78) in T-51, Jairaj Singh Sandhu (71) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) in T-58 and Rashid Khan (78) in T-65.
Nakajima was thrilled even as he admitted some nervousness. “I’m very happy to win the Indian National Open. The National Open is a very good tournament. So this win feels like my first win in a professional career, a new career. I’m going to try to win and go to the next step.I’m very proud to have won on the DP World Tour and very honoured to be playing here. I want to try and finish on the top ten on this tour and then go to the PGA TOUR in 2025.”
