Chawrasia wins play-off for Manila Masters title
ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Manila: India’s S S P Chawrasia lifted his first Asian Tour title
abroad after prevailing at the second play-off hole to win the US$1
million Resorts World
Manila Masters today.
Victory
at the richest golf tournament in the Philippines was the first for the
38-year-old outside India and it was one to remember after he birdied
the 18th
play-off hole twice to clinch victory over Sam Chien of the United States and Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung.
“I
am very happy. This is my first win outside of India. I am very
excited. Everyone has been telling me I have won a lot of times in India
and it’s about time to win
outside of India. I am glad I did it this week,” said Chawrasia.
Chawrasia
finished regulation play with a flawless six-under-par 66 to force his
way into a three-way play-off after Fung and Chien had earlier set the
clubhouse lead
at 19-under-par 269.
When
Fung bowed out with a bogey at the first play-off hole, it was down to
Chawrasia and rookie Chien to battle for top honours at the Manila
Southwoods Golf and Country
Club.
Chien
hit a wayward tee shot that went straight into the hazard, leaving
Chawrasia in an advantageous position after he had hit a solid drive
into the middle of the fairway
earlier.
The
American then took a relief but hit his shot back into the rough,
effectively ruling him out of the equation for the Resorts World Manila
Masters title.
“Chawrasia
played some great golf in the play-off. I was just trying to be
aggressive but maybe I was a little bit too aggressive. I played well on
the first extra hole
but the second time I just did not away with it,” said Chien.
Chawarasia
meanwhile continued his brilliance by hitting his second shot onto the
green, where the ball landed just 20 feet away from the pin.
The
Indian then saw his eagle putt sailed just within inches away from the
pin but an easy birdie putt was enough to seal his victory.
“I
know every shot is crucial when you are in a play-off. So I just tried
to calm myself down out there and I’m just glad I hit two brilliant
second shots that got me
the title,” said Chawrasia.
Fung was left to wait longer for his maiden breakthrough on the Asian Tour.
But
he was still proud of how he played especially during regulation time
where he closed with five successive birdies starting from the 14th hole.
“I
didn’t expect myself to finish the round with five straight birdies in a
row. I was only at three-under at the turn. So it was really
unbelievable when I start to
sink in those birdies from the 14th hole.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 7,317
269 - S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) 68-64-71-66, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 66-69-71-63, Sam CHIEN (USA) 74-65-65-65.
270 - Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) 69-70-69-62, Chiragh KUMAR (IND) 67-70-69-64, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 64-65-74-67.
271 - Michael TRAN (VNM) 67-66-71-67, HUNG Chien-yao (TPE) 65-71-68-67, Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 65-66-69-71.
272 - Danthai BOONMA (THA) 64-72-73-63, Jbe KRUGER (RSA) 69-67-67-69, Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) 66-70-67-69.
273
- Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 68-68-75-62, Jay BAYRON (PHI) 71-68-70-64, Shunya
TAKEYASU (JPN) 69-70-68-66, Carlos PIGEM (ESP) 69-68-69-67, Miguel
TABUENA (PHI) 67-70-69-67,
Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 67-66-69-71.
274 - Tom JOHNSON (USA) 71-69-68-66, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 68-67-70-69, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 69-66-69-70.
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
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