Bandar Seri Begawan, Aug 1 (IANS) India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar turned in another magical final round performance with a six-under 65, but still finished fourth, two shots from a play-off, in the Brunei Open Sunday.
Overnight leader and strong favourite over the last couple of days, Mohammad Siddikur (67) had a nervous final round, which he bogeyed and fell into a tie for the first place at 16-under with South African Jbe Kruger (66). In the play-off Siddikur, who came to the Tour through the Qualifying School in 209, won on the first extra hole, as Kruger missed a 10-foot putt for par on the par four 18th hole at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.
Siddikur, who won twice on the Indian domestic Tour before moving to the Asian Tour, became the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour.
As last year’s runner-up Bhullar finished fourth, fellow Indian Anirban Lahiri (72) dropped three shots in last three holes, including a double bogey on the 18th to drop to tied 14th, down from overnight tied sixth.
The other two Indians, Gurki Shergill (74) and Himmat Rai (69), were tied for 42nd place.
Placed 11th overnight Bhullar, who is at his attacking best on final days, was one-under through nine holes and then birdied the 12th. He found three more birdies in a row from 14th to 16th to move to five-under for the day. He then birdied the tough 18th to finish six-under.
Bhullar had a consistent tournament with all four rounds in the 60s (69, 68, 68 and 65).
Lahiri had an up-and-down round, Three birdies and two bogeys saw him turn in one-under and two more birdies, on 12th and 13th, but also dropped bogeys on 10th and 16th. The double bogey on 18th cost him a place in top-10.
Siddikur, who opened the day with an eagle-2 on par-4 first hole was five-under through 17 and set for an outright win. He bogeyed the last hole in regulation play for a 67 to slip into the play-off with Kruger who established the clubhouse target of 16-under-par 268.
Filipino Juvic Pagunsan secured third place after a sizzling 64 for 269 while Bhullar was a stroke back in 270. English duo Nick Redfern and Simon Griffiths shared fifth place on 271 while Malaysia’s Ben Leong, tied for the third round lead with Siddikur, finished a disappointing tied 10th after a closing 73.
‘It is very exciting. I’m the first Bangladeshi to play on the Asian Tour and in the two years that I’m on Tour, I have won a tournament. It is unbelievable,’ said Siddikur, who earned his Tour card from Qualifying School in 2009. ‘I didn’t expect to win. Thankfully, everything in my game clicked and I was able to win,’ added Siddikur.
Siddikur, who shot a hole in one in the second round, got off to a strong start when he brilliantly eagled the par four first hole followed by birdies on two, four and 13. His only blemish came on the last hole when he failed to sink a 15 feet putt for the outright victory.
