Domaine de Bel Ombre (Mauritius), May 10 (IANS) Indian golfer Rahil Gangjee saved his best for the last, shooting a fine five-under 66 to finish tied 11th, while George Coetzee overcame Thorbjørn Olesen at the second play-off hole to emerge champion in the Mauritius Open here on Sunday.
Gangjee, who is half Mauritian, wrapped up his campaign at the Heritage Golf Club with six birdies against a lone bogey for a seven-under 277 total in the $1.1 million tournament tri-sanctioned by the Asian, European and Sunshine Tours.
“Brilliant,” smiled Gangjee. “To finish with a birdie, it was even better. I had a tough two putt along the ridge but luckily I made the second putt from 10 feet,” the 36-year-old said in a release.
“Conditions were there for the taking and I took a lot from it. You can’t rethink about yesterday (when he shot a 74 to fall out of contention). I didn’t want to get stuck there.”
Another Indian in the fray, Gaganjeet Bhullar carded four-under 68 to share the 44th spot with two-under 282 as total.
Overnight leader Coetzee won the title after the regulation 72-hole play saw two people at the top. Both Coetzee and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark were tied at 13-under 271.
South African Coetzee, who lived up to his billing as the highest-ranked player in the field, birdied the 18th hole three times in succession — once in regulation and then twice in the play-off.
The last of those was enough for victory as Olesen, who had earlier overcome a four-shot deficit on the front nine with a round of 68, could only manage a par after missing the fairway and being forced to lay up.