Simarjeet to clash with Prabagaran in All India Amateur final

Coimbatore, Feb 17 (UNI) Three-time Sri Lankan Amateur champion Simarjeet Singh came from behind to beat Kolkata's Akshay Butta one-up to enter the final of the 106th Royal Challenge All India Amateur Golf Championship at the Par-72 Coimbatore Golf Club here today.

This is Simarjeet's first entry into the final of the prestigious tournament.

Simarjeet sets up a title clash with 11th seed Sri Lankan K Prabagaran who walloped Delhi's Raj Randhawa 4&3 in the other semi-final.

In a thrilling contest, all but seemed lost for the fifth seed Simarjeet after he was four down at the turn. But the Noida golfer showed tremendous fighting spirit to bounce back in style.

Butta was having 4-0 lead on the ninth hole 2-up after the 15th hole but he bogeyed the 16th and 17th to make it all-square.

Then, in a dramatic finish, Simarjeet sank a 20-footer putt for a birdie to clinch the tie.

UNI