Sri Lankan Mithun Perera put up a resilient display to come through in a thriller in the final round and lift the trophy at the inaugural ICC RCGC Open Golf Championship Powered by Bharat Benz, a TATA Steel PGTI event, played at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) yesterday.

Perera, who lifted his seventh title on Sunday, carded an eventful but resolute even-par-72 in the last round to emerge winner by one stroke at eight-under-280 at the Rs.40 lakh event. Mithun’s prize money cheque of Rs.6,46,600 catapulted him from 26th to 14th position in the TATA Steel PGTI Order of Merit.

Lucknow’s Sanjeev Kumar, who was the leader by three shots at one stage on Sunday and thus staring at his maiden title, had to settle for second place after a 71 saw him total seven-under-281 for the week.

Mumbai’s Anil Bajrang Mane (71) and Delhi’s Shamim Khan (71) took joint third place at four-under-284.

Mysuru lad M.S. Yashas Chandra with a four-under-68 score on the final day and with a four-day aggregate card of one-under 287 (75+73+71+68) finished a tied tenth.

Another Mysuru lad I.L. Aalaap finished 44th in the final placing with a four-day aggregate card of 15-over-303.