Kunal Bhasin registers two-shot win at Digboi

Digboi, Assam, November 16, 2013: Australian Kunal Bhasin fired an even-par-72 in the final round to register a two-shot victory at the IndianOil Servo Masters Golf 2013 at the Digboi Golf Links. His ended with a tournament total of 11-under-277. Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow claimed second place with a nine-under-279 total.

Kunal Bhasin (67-72-66-72), the overnight leader by one stroke, had a forgettable start to the day as he opened the round with bogeys on the first two holes. His tee shot on the second was plugged in the left bunker as a result of which he missed an up and down. Kunal then made a good up and down from the bunker for birdie on the ninth.

Bhasin suffered a major setback with a double-bogey on the par-3 10^th. The Mumbai-based professional found the green in four shots on the 10^th after a couple of poor chips. The 34-year-old however, came back strongly with birdie conversions from a distance of 10 to 20 feet on the 12^th, 14^thand 15^th. He thus ended the day with a sedate 72 that was good enough to earn him his third title on the PGTI. Kunal has now moved up from 36^th to 14^th place in the 2013 Rolex Rankings.

Kunal said, クth me and Khalin started poorly to allow the others get back into the game. The 20-feet birdie putt on the 12^th turned it around for me as I converted two more long birdie putts after that on the 14^th and 15^th. The birdie on the 12^th gave me the momentum. I was quite confident of my chances from there on. My putter was hot throughout the week. All the hard work I did on improving my game this season has paid off. My confidence soared after I shot an eight-under at Panchkula two months back. That performance helped me raise my game.伯span>

Om Prakash Chouhan (70-75-66-68) climbed from overnight tied fourth to secure the runner-up position after returning a 68 that featured five birdies and a bogey.

Rashid Khan of Delhi and BangaloreⳠChikkarangappa S were in tied third place as both ended the week with matching totals of five-under-283.

Khalin Joshi of Bangalore, who was overnight second, slipped to fifth place after shooting a 78 in the final round that moved his total to four-under-284.