How did Thangaraja secure victory at Chennai Open 2025?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- N. Thangaraja won the Chennai Open 2025 with a score of 17-under 271.
- He earned a prize of INR 15 lakh and improved his ranking in the PGTI Order of Merit.
- Thangaraja's performance included a crucial birdie on the 15th hole.
- He showed resilience despite challenging pin placements.
- Amardeep Malik recorded the lowest score of the day at 66.
Chennai, Sep 19 (NationPress) The Sri Lankan golfer N. Thangaraja emerged victorious with a gritty one-over 73 on the concluding day of the Chennai Open 2025, a prestigious Rs 1 crore tournament held at the Cosmo TNGF Golf Course in Chennai. Starting the day as the overnight leader with a score of 69-66-63-73, Thangaraja maintained his edge, finishing the event with a total score of 17-under 271.
The 44-year-old from Colombo marked his sixth PGTI win and second victory of the season, earning a prize of INR 15 lakh. This triumph elevated him from 12th to 6th place in the 2025 PGTI Order of Merit.
Joining the ranks of runners-up were Noida’s Amardeep Malik (68-71-67-66), who concluded the day with an eagle, along with Delhi’s Shaurya Bhattacharya (67-65-69-71) and Gurugram’s Manu Gandas (66-68-65-73), all finishing at 16-under 272. Honey Baisoya (72) from DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurugram, secured fifth place at 14-under 274.
Thangaraja started the day slowly, recording five pars followed by a bogey on the sixth hole, while his closest competitors made early gains. However, he showcased consistency amidst challenging pin placements, hitting the greens and achieving two-putts for pars until the 14th hole.
On the Par-3 15th, Thangaraja delivered an impressive tee shot and successfully converted a critical five-foot birdie to regain momentum. Although he encountered a bogey on the 16th, he confidently sank a six-foot par putt on the 18th hole for victory.
Reflecting on his performance, Thangaraja, who was the runner-up in the 2022 Chennai Open, stated, “The pin positions were the toughest we faced this week, which explains the high scores. I’m thrilled to win at one of my favorite courses, where I narrowly missed out three years ago.”
“I adhered to my game plan of finding the greens and making two-putts for pars, knowing birdies would be hard to come by today. After the birdie on the 15th, I felt a surge of confidence, and I knew it would be my day. With two victories this season, I’m now aiming for even bigger goals for the remainder of the year.”
Amardeep Malik recorded the lowest score of the day with a 66, securing his second runner-up finish of the season.
Shaurya Bhattacharya began with a strong performance, making birdies on his first four holes but fell out of contention due to several bogeys, ultimately posting a 71. Manu Gandas also had a strong start but faltered from the eighth hole onward, finishing with a 73.