By V. Krishnaswamy, IANS
Bangkok : India’s Rahil Gangjee, fighting fever for the last two days, showed great grit and determination to bring in his best card for the week, at three-under 69, which hauled him to tied 12th as local hero Prayad Marksaeng won the Volvo Masters of Asia here Sunday.
Gangjee, placed 21st overnight, finished as the top Indian. Shiv Kapur, tied 13th overnight, suffered a mid-round blip with four bogeys between ninth and 15th holes to card his worst round of the week at 74 and slipped to tied 19th.
S.S.P. Chowrasia also went through a mid-round lapse. Despite making up with birdies on 15th and 17th, he ended with a bogey for a 72 that saw him end at three-under 285 and in tied 19th with Kapur. Gaurav Ghei, the fourth Indian in the field, shot a 76 and finished tied 44th.
Marksaeng, starting in tied third and five shots behind the leader, won the title in a dramatic finish. The 42-year-old Thai carded a 69 to total 13-under 275 and won by one shot ahead of 29-year-old Filipino Juvic Pagunsan.
“I dedicate my win to the King and to Supphaphorn Maphungphong, who passed away two weeks ago,” said Marksaeng. “I knew I had to make a birdie, and so I just wanted to get to the green and close to give myself a chance.”
Supphaphorn, widely regarded as the coach to most Thai golfers, is also called the ‘Godfather of Thai Golf’ and two weeks ago he died at the age of 62.
Overnight leader Pagunsan, winner of the Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational this season, opened the door far too many times. Marksaeng sneaked in to win with the only birdie of the day on the 18th.
Pagunsan, who was the favourite to win following his four-shot lead overnight, squandered his lead with four bogeys between fifth and the ninth hole and ended the day with another bogey on 18th for a 75 that left him one shot short and tied second with Chris Rodgers (68).
Gangjee, India’s top finisher, said: “I had a great start in the morning going four-under through seven. The eagle on the seventh was the icing. I hit a great second shot to within seven feet and holed it. I had a couple of errors on ninth and later on back ninth. But still despite a good front nine, I realised the conditions were tough with the wind and hard greens.”
Gangjee had birdies on second and fourth and an eagle on seventh and again on 13th and 17th. His bogeys came on ninth, 11th and 16th for a 69, his best round of the week.
Kapur was going fine over the front nine. He birdied the first after a great second shot and then his putts just slipped past on next two holes. He had an eagle putt from 12 feet on fourth, but still got a birdie.
But from the ninth, where he made his first bogey, it was a downward spiral. He hit bogeys on 11th, 13th and 15th and slipped to his worst round of the week with a 74.
Chowrasia had four birdies and four bogeys in his 72, while Ghei had just one birdie against three bogeys and one double bogey.
Playing for the tenth week in a row, Marksaeng himself flirted with danger of losing the lead a few times. He hit the water with his second shot on the 17th but still salvaged the situation with a par and then made up with a great second shot from 178 yards with a 6-Iron on the 18th to get within about 14 feet and holed it.
It was his sixth career title for the stocky Marksaeng. He also moved into the fifth place on Asian Tour Order of Merit. Straddling between Asian and Japan Tours, he finished 10th on Japan Tour with seven top-10s this season.
It was Prayad’s first title since he won the 2005 Crowne Plaza. Before that his titles all came in the period between 1996 and 2000.