Atwal

Chattanooga (USA): Arjun Atwal will return to the PGA Tour next season after regaining his card with a sudden death play-off win at the Nationwide Tour’s Chattanooga Classic, his maiden title triumph in the United States.

The Orlando-based golfer, who earned a whopping $90,000 cheque for his triumph, rose to 15th from 34th in the Nationwide money list with total earnings of $2,48,000.

The top 25 in the money list make the cut for PGA Tour at the end of the season. With this, the Indian now has cards on four Tours — Asian, European, PGA and Nationwide.

And with just two tournaments to go in the Nationwide Tour, the 34-year-old, who lost his PGA card after a disastrous 2007 season, is unlikely to drop out of the top-25 after this massive win.

Atwal (72) and overnight second and local favourite Webb Simpson (69) finished regulation play at Black Creek at 24-under 264, two strokes shy of the tournament record.

After a front-nine that was studded with a birdie and an eagle against a lone bogey, Atwal had a two-shot lead on the 16th tee but drove into a fairway bunker and had to chip out. The Indian hit a poor third shot into a greenside bunker resulting in a double-bogey. Simpson made par on that hole leaving the duo tied.

Both players then two-putted the par-five 18th for birdies before heading back to the tee for the playoff.

While Atwal kept his cool, nerves got the better of the 23-year-old Simpson, whose second shot found the greenside bunker after both had driven in to the fairway.

Atwal hit a hybrid club to 25 feet before comfortably two-putting for a birdie.

“Either one of us could have won in that playoff, and it just happened so that he missed that putt. But he’s a great player, he’s going to win a lot of tournaments, and it was for me as far as I’m concerned, it was a big grind today,” said Atwal. (Agencies)