Josh Berry came through a four-man playoff to claim his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title on a gripping final day of the Kolkata Challenge at Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
Doncaster-based Josh signed for a one over-par round of 73 on the final day to share the 72-hole lead atop a congested leaderboard, before birdieing the second extra playoff hole to win from Norwegian Andreas Halvorsen, Austrian Lukas Nemecz, and Om Prakash Chouhan from India.
The 19-year-old, who shot a new course record (62) at Royal Calcutta on day two to climb into contention, was delighted to come through a tense final day and win for the first time as a professional.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” said Josh. “This win is important and it’s good for my confidence as well. I know I can do it now, which I think is the key thing. I did feel some nerves but that’s what you practice for. I’m looking forward to watching that putt in the playoff back.
“You’ve always got to be confident going into a playoff, but obviously it’s nerve-racking. You really want to win, and I just tried to hit one good shot at a time. Luckily, I holed that putt on the second extra hole. It’s a game of such fine margins.”
Josh started the day one shot clear at the top of the leaderboard, but on another testing day in Tollygunge dropped shots on the first and seventh holes to fall one off the pace. He made his first gain of the day at the par five 15th, which saw him join three others in a tie for the lead on 11 under-par. He parred his way home before heading back to the 18th tee for the playoff.
Josh parred the first extra hole, as did Andreas and Lukas, before the Englishman holed a 20ft birdie putt on the second playoff hole to clinch the title.
The 19-year-old, who climbed to fourth in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings with the win, recorded his best DP World Tour result three weeks earlier with a tied-seventh finish in the Magical Kenya Open presented by absa.
“I knew my game was there,” he added. “After Kenya, I went to the Investec South African Open Championship and didn’t play my best golf, but I had a week off last week to see the coaches and regroup. That gave me a chance to think about what I’d done well, so to come here and do what I have, I’m so pleased.
“I learned a lot last year in my first year as a professional. I played 37 events between the DP World Tour and HotelPlanner Tour, so you’re going to learn a lot playing that many events. I love every bit of it though.”
Austrian Maximilian Steinlechner finished in fifth place on 10 under-par, with four-time DP World Tour winner S.S.P. Chawrasia carding a five under-par 67 on the final day to end the week sixth on nine under-par.
