Champion Angad Cheema receives the trophy from Shri Kandula Durgesh, Honourable Minister of Tourism, Culture & Cinematography, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh (third from left). The other dignitaries seen in the picture from left to right are Mr. P Ramakrishna Rao, Treasurer, East Point Golf Club, Cmde. G Vinod Babu, Vice President, East Point Golf Club, Mr. M S N Raju, Honorary Secretary, East Point Golf Club, and Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI
After more than a decade of near misses, Chandigarh’s 34-year-old Angad Cheema finally clinched his second PGTI title in stunning fashion at the 2024 Vizag Open, held at the East Point Golf Club in Visakhapatnam. Battling through tense final moments and a playoff against Patna’s Aman Raj, Cheema’s resilience paid off, securing his long-awaited victory.
Cheema, who had started the final round with a three-shot lead, posted a steady three-under 68, bringing his tournament total to 16-under 268. His consistency throughout the event had positioned him well for victory, but a surge from Aman Raj, who carded a sensational six-under 65 on the final day, tied the two at the top of the leaderboard, forcing a playoff.
The playoff was a nerve-wracking affair as Aman Raj’s late birdies on the 15th, 17th, and 18th holes had shifted momentum in his favour. Cheema, meanwhile, had stumbled with a bogey on the 18th, adding to the drama. But as the two returned to the 18th tee for the playoff, Cheema regrouped and delivered a brilliant tee shot, followed by a pinpoint approach that left him with an eight-foot birdie opportunity. As the light drizzle added to the tension, Cheema confidently rolled in the birdie, while Aman Raj, faced with a longer putt, was unable to convert.
“It’s a huge relief,” Cheema said afterward. “I’ve been playing well for so long, but closing it out has been the challenge. Today, I stayed patient and focused on giving it my best, especially when Aman started closing the gap.”
This victory marks Cheema’s third professional win and his second on the PGTI, with his last title coming 11 years ago. The win also moves him up to third place in the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings, solidifying his position among the tour’s top performers this season.
Bengaluru’s Aryan Roopa Anand and Gurugram’s Kartik Sharma finished tied for third at 10-under 274.
Photo – PGTI