Gaganjeet Bhullar recorded his best-finish of the season in Chinese Taipei
Just as Indian fans were growing weary of no top 5 finishes by Indians on the Asian Tour this season, 35-year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar, a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour, finished third and Rashid Khan, 4th at the US$ 750,000 Yeangder TPC at Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei. It was Bhullar’s and Rashid’s best results of the season so far.
He shot 66-67-67-69 for a four-round total of 19-under 269. That was five strokes behind the winner, Thailand’s Poom Saksansin.
Bhullar, who won this event in 2012, earned US$ 47,250 (₹40 lacs approx.) this week and with 10 cuts in 12 events and three top-10’s stands 21st on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.
Rashid Khan, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, shot 70-66-66-68 (18-under 270) to finish in a tie for fourth, one stroke behind Bhullar.
Fourteen Indians played in Taiwan because there are two consecutive events there. Fortunately 9 of them made the cut.
Other Indians who made the cut –
Karandeep Kochhar – T-20th (-11)
Chikkarangappa S. – T-27th (-10)
Ajeetesh Sandhu – T-32nd (-9)
Veer Ahlawat – T-37th (-8)
Khalin Joshi – T-47th (-6)
Viraj Madappa – T-52nd (-5)
Yuvraj Singh Sandhu – T-60th (-3)
Indians who missed the cut at 3-under 141 were –
Honey Baisoya -1
Kartik Sharma – Even-par
S.S.P. Chawrasia – Even-par
Jeev Milkha Singh +1
Rahil Gangjee +7
The next Asian Tour event will be the US$ 1mn Mercuries Taiwan Masters this week at Taiwan Golf & CC which will see another strong turnout of Indians but of course SSP Chawrasia and Khalin Joshi will be at the Asian Games in neighbouring Hangzhou.
Credits:-
Photo – Asian Tour