Gaganjeet Bhullar trips in the final round, finishes 10th; Shiv Kapur 37th
Abu Dhabi: Gaganjeet Bhullar was unable to turn on the magic, which brought him into contention on the third, as he slipped to a three-over 75 on the final day and dropped from second position to tied 10th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship here today.
Bhullar, starting the day at nine-under and playing in the lead group alongside overnight leader Lee Craig and five-time Major winner Phil Mickelson, crumbled with two bogeys on front nine and had two more bogeys on back nine with just one birdie for the entire day on par-3 15th.
He finished at seven-under 279 and tied 10th. Lee, too, collapsed with a 77 and ended in a tie for 10th with the Indian and seven others including Miguel Angel Jimenez (73), Thomas Bjorn (72) and Thongchai Jaidee (73).
The star of the day was Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, who held his nerve on the final green to hold at bay Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson here. McIlroy (68) and Mickelson (69) tied for second at 13-under.
Shiv Kapur, who had a off-day yesterday with a 75, atoned for it with a great back nine that was his first nine of the final. He had five birdies against no bogeys but on the second nine he had two each of birdies and bogeys for a 67 but moved from tied 67th to tied 37th at the finish at three-under 285.
Jeev Milkha Singh (72) with four birdies and four bogeys was tied 60th. Larrazabal sank in a five foot birdie putt at the last after leaving his eagle effort well short for a closing five under par 67 and 14 under total.
Mickelson, whose challenge seemed in tatters with a triple bogey at the 13th, needed an eagle from the middle of the fairway to get into a play-off. But despite finding the green in two the American was unable to hole his putt from 50 feet.
Starting day three off the lead, Larrazabal birdied the second from eight feet and almost aced the par three fourth. With overnight leader Craig Lee stumbling, the lead switched hands on a regular basis but the 30-year-old Spaniard fell behind the likes of McIlroy and Mickelson with a bogey at the fifth.
He chipped to a foot from the bunker at the eighth and sunk a six footer at the 11th to remain in touch, although Mickelson looked to be in command with three birdies over his first 10 holes. But Mickelson hit a three wood left under a bush on the 13th and decided to try and play back-handed rather than taking a drop. The ball only bobbled up and caught his club on the follow through, and with a penalty drop the World Number Five was left to play his fifth shot to the green before two putting for a triple bogey seven.
That opened the door to the chasing pack, and it was Larrazabal who marched through it with a brilliant pitch to within a foot from the rough at the 13th before firing to the heart of the 18th green in two. A poor first putt created some tension, but Larrazabal converted the second to take his third European Tour title.
McIlroy produced a closing 68 to finish tied for second with Mickelson, who recovered brilliantly to birdie three of his last five holes. George Coetzee and Rafa Cabrera-Bello finished tied for fourth on 12 under, whilst Swedish rookie Johan Carlsson produced the round of the day with a 65 to record a top-10 finish.
Anirban signs off at third place in King's Cup
Anirban signs off at third place in King's Cup
Hua Hin (Thailand): Anirban Lahiri rounded off the season with yet another top-3 finish as the Indian golfer carded a four-under 68 to end third at the USD 1 million King's Cup Golf Hua Hin here today.
Lahiri totaled nine-under 279 and was three shots behind winner, Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng (66) at 12-under. Swede Rikard Karlberg (67) was second at 11-under 277 at the Black Mountain Golf Club.
Winner of one title, Lahiri has had three other second place finishes and this one in third adds to a fine year, where he has finished in third place on the Order of Merit. It also sealed his place on the Asian team for the EurAsia Cup in March.
Rahil Gangjee (72) had a birdie-birdie finish to be tied 12th at three-under, while SSP Chowrasia (71) was tied 17th at two-under 286 and Jyoti Randhawa (69) was tied 21st at one-under 287.
Speaking about the final round, Lahiri said: "It was a good solid round of golf for me. I had it going early on then I lost it through the middle of the round. I should have made a couple more birdies but I'm really happy with another solid week. Lots of positives that I can take back from this week. I needed something like that (eagle on 17) because I couldn't get the round going."
"It has been a great season for me to finish on a high. Hopefully I go out and work more on my fitness and game and come back stronger for the new season," said the 26-year-old Indian, whose round was highlighted by three birdies, one bogey and an eagle.
Prayad Marksaeng completed a Royal double when he posted a six-under 66 to win the King's Cup Golf and he added that to the Queen's Cup he won in June. Karlberg, who had taken a share of the lead for the first two rounds, had to settle for second place after signing off with a 67.
Thailand's Prom Meesawat will have to wait longer for his second Asian Tour win as a final round 71 saw him finish in equal third alongside compatriot Chapchai Nirat and India's Anirban Lahiri.
"I'm extremely happy to win the King's Cup because it's a great event and also staged in my home town here in Hua Hin. This win is especially special as it's dedicated to all the Thai people," said Prayad, who took home the winner's prize purse of USD 180,000 to surpass the USD 3 million career earnings mark on the Asian Tour.
Prayad, who will turn 48 at the end of the month, showed he is still a force to be reckoned with from the get-go with three birdies in his opening four holes.
After turning in 34, he birdied the par-four 10th to move within two shots back of Karlberg at nine-under. The roars from the galleries erupted when Prayad sank his eagle putt from 20 feet to dethrone Karlberg from the top after the Swede succumbed to his nerves by making consecutive bogeys on holes 13 and 14.
Prayad's eighth win on the region's premier Tour was confirmed after another birdie on the 17th ensured his unassailable lead and victory which he celebrated by jumping into the ninth hole greenside lake. Karlberg was left to rue what could have been as he never recovered after a costly bogey on the 13th hole.
Although he closed with two birdies on holes 17 and 18, it was not enough to catch Prayad on the day where the Thai veteran was at his best. Meanwhile, Lahiri confirmed his place at the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM set to tee off in Malaysia in March.
