Jamal buoyed by Kolkata win

With the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Bangladesh Open scheduled to start in the first week of April, golfer Jamal Hossain Mollah feels he got a timely boost with victory in the Bengal Open Golf Championship in Kolkata earlier this week.

The 34-year-old, who had made a relatively slow start to the event with scores of 68 and 69, came roaring back with eight-under-62 and seven-under-63 over the next two days to clinch the title by one shot at 18-under-262.

"This is a timely boost for me. This victory will be a massive confidence boost for me ahead of the Indian Open later this month and the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Bangladesh Open at home in early April," Jamal told The Daily Star yesterday.

This was Jamal's third title on the PGTI, breaking a seven-year jinx on the tour. He had won the 2009 Bangladesh Open as an amateur at the Kurmitola Golf Club before winning the same tournament at the same venue in 2012 as a professional.

He had come close to winning a couple of times in the last few years, but failed to make it eventually. His performance in this month's Chittagong Open was also not satisfactory as he barely managed to make the cut.

This week's victory at Tollygunge is more impressive as it was his first win outside Bangladesh, and it came with Asian Tour events right around the corner.

"I did not putt well in the first two days, but the putting was really good in the last two days and that made the difference. If I can putt like that I hope I can be among the best in the Bangabandhu Cup next month," Jamal said.

The win lifted Jamal to sixth position in the PGTI Order of Merit as he pocketed a paycheque of 4,84,950 rupees. Badal Hossain, another Bangladeshi golfer, finished fifth just three shots behind Jamal.