Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar registers 10th career win

JAKARTA: Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar produced one of the best rounds of his career when he needed it most to end India’s four-year long title drought on the Asian Tour.

Bhullar shot a superb 7-under 65 to be 20-under and win the USD 500,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open. He won the tournament by two shots over countryman Rashid Khan (68) and Steve Lewton (64).

The last Indian win had come at the Panasonic Open by Khalin Joshi in 2018.

It was his 10th Asian Tour win, the most by an Indian as he extended his own record. He also became the first player to win the event three times, following his wins in 2013 and 2016.

“I love this course,” he said about Pondok Indah here.

Bhullar’s has a long-standing love affair with Indonesia. Four of his 10 Asian Tour wins have come here. His first career AT win was also in Indonesia at the Indonesia President Invitational in 2009 and his 10th win has come in the same country.

Rashid started the day in lead with Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai but Bhullar was in irresistible form, making three birdies on the front, and four on the back. It included three on the trot from the 13th.

Lewton had four birdies in the last seven holes, including on 17th and 18th. But he fell two short.

Among other Indians Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) was T-19, Shiv Kapur (70) was T-27, Karandeep Kochhar (70) and Veer Ahlawat (74) were T-37, M Dharma (73) was T-45, S Chikkarangappa (68) and Honey Baisoya (67) were T-50.

Bhullar was all confidence and showed no signs of being without a win since his success in Fiji, which came four years and two days ago on August 5, in 2018. There was no question of nerves.

He holed brilliant birdie putts and made some crucial par saves. Without a trace of arrogance, he said, “I played like a champion tee to green and gave myself so many birdie opportunities.” “I was riding high on confidence, hit the ball really good. It is a great week, I had a lot of positive memories having won this tournament two times before, that was definitely on my subconscious mind. The goal was just to go out there and give my 100 percent.” “This is my first win after becoming a father and I would like to dedicate this win to my 11-month-old daughter.'' Rashid also made up ground over the closing holes with four birdies on the homeward stretch having started with nine straight pars. “It was a little confusing for me the start. I couldn't make any birdies on the first nine holes, so it was a little difficult for me to come back after that,'' Rashid said.

''I had my first birdie on the 10th so I got a little thinking that I can make few more. When I checked the score Bhullar played a really good round today, shot seven under and bogey free.” Bhullar joins an elite group of players who have won a National Open in Asia at least three times. The list includes Peter Thomson, Hong Kong Open and Indian Open; Jyoti Randhawa, Indian Open; Adam Scott, Singapore Open; Jumbo Ozaki and Tommy Nakajima, Japan Open; Lu Liang-Huan, aka ‘Mr Lu’, Philippine Open and Taiwan Open; and Miguel Angel Jimenez, Hong Kong Open.

Bhullar, Lewton and Khan and the rest of the field now head for next week’s International Series Singapore next week at Tanah Merah Country Club.