By IANS,
Richmond (Virginia) : Indian golfer Arjun Atwal finished tied fourth at the Henrico County Open golf tournament, but not before playing a high voltage final round to give him an outside chance of making a bid for the title on the final day at the Nationwide Tour event here.
Still carding a four-under 68, he totalled 12-under 276 to finish in tied fourth that strengthened his chances of earning a full card for the Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour in 2009.
With two eagles and five birdies against three bogeys, Atwal enjoyed a solid campaign Sunday.
Atwal, who moved up from 22nd to 18th on the Nationwide Money List, needs to stay on in top-25 to earn full playing rights to the PGA Tour next season.
Atwal, who won the Malaysian Open in March, started the day in 19th place at eight-under. He soon zoomed into contention with five birdies in the first ten holes. He birdied the second, fourth, sixth and seventh and then a fifth birdie on 10th to move to 13-under and right in the mix for the title.
However, bogeys on 12th, 14th and 17th dashed his title hopes, but he did stay in top-5 with an eagle on the 15th.
Australian Greg Chalmers (70) won the title, but only after a play-off against Swede Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad (70) as the duo finished on identical score at 14-under 274.
Two years ago, Daniel Chopra, now a full cardholder and twice winner on PGA Tour won the Henrico County Open.
Chalmers and Bjornstad totaled 14-under 274, but on the second play-off Chalmers three-putted for bogey from 75 feet on the second extra hole, which was enough to beat Bjornstad, who pulled his tee shot on the par-three into the water and missed an eight foot putt to prolong the overtime session.
Chalmers became only the second player in the Tour’s 19-year history to win a playoff with a bogey.
Veteran Neal Lancaster of United States finished third, one shot back, when his 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation stopped inches away from the cup.
From here, the Nationwide Tour heads to the South Georgia Classic at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta.