By IANS,
Greenville (South Carolina) : Arjun Atwal took a significant step towards making the PGA Tour 2009 season with a creditable eighth place finish that could have been even better but for a bogey-bogey finish in the final round of the Nationwide Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am on Sunday. He had rounds of 69, 67, 69 and 70 for a 11 under 275.
The tournament was won by American David Mathis with a 20-under 266.
Atwal, former Asian Tour No. 1 and winner of the Malaysian Open this year, shot a one-under 70. He was cruising at three-under and secure for a top-5 place when he hit the road block in the form of bogeys on 17th and 18th. Atwal earlier had birdies on the second, fifth, ninth and 13th and a bogey on the third.
Placed 18th before the week started in the race to top-25 moved to 14th in the list with earnings just under $ 100,000.
It has been a fine start to the season for Atwal, who in six appearances has made the cut four times and finished in top-10 three times and 16th on another occasion.
“My putting is coming around, but I still need to be a bit more accurate off the tee,” said Atwal. “It is nice to be moving up on the Nationwide ladder and hopefully I will have some wins, too, soon.”
Atwal was second at the Panama Movistar in the season’s opening event on Nationwide.