Krishna Prasad tops in Karnataka golf fest

Krishna Prasad, who was the only player to take part in the 0-5 handicap category, carded 29 points to emerge winner on Day 3 of the Karnataka Golf Festival here Saturday that also witnessed a hole-in-one by Sandeep Kulhalli.

Other handicap category winners were Sanjeev Mehra with 36 points (6-10), Sumant Subramanian, 35 (11-15), Rishi Kshettry, 39 (16-20) and Kurien George, 33 (21-24).

Kulhalli holed his tee shot on the fourth for the first hole-in-one in this year's festival. He achieved the feat on a 130-yard, par-3 which is considerably shorter, but much more intimidating because of its down slope.

Kulhalli, who shot the first hole-in-one of his life in 2009 at the KGA on the eighth hole, said: "It's always an amazing feeling to have a hole-in-one but if you get it twice in 12 years of your golfing span, it's a delight.

"After carding pars on first and second, and a double bogey on the third, I was waiting for a miracle to happen. Then, I took out a pitching wedge on the fourth and within few minutes when our group reached the green, my caddy started shouting, it's a hole-in-one. It was an honour to pass the clubhouse at that moment."

The festival is being held to identify five qualifiers for the World Golfers Championship to be held in Durban Nov 1-8.