Indian Golf Premier League: Karandeep Kochhar fired a bogey-free 4-under 68 on the final day to register yet another top-10 finish this season at the US$`500,000 IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco. The lanky Chandigarh golfer finished T-9, his third Top-10 of the year, which carried him up to 12th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Kochhar, who had rounds of 66-73-70-68, totalled 11-under as Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69-70-67-64) totalled 18-under for a comprehensive win. Lindh was second in his last outing at the Kolon Korea Open, and this week he produced a very consistent performance, which saw him rise to third on the Order of Merit. Lindh closed his win in a commanding manner, landing an eagle on the 18th for a four-shot win.
The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Asian Tour.
Among other Indian IGPL players, Gaganjeet Bhullar (75-70-69-68) and Yashas Chandra (75-68-71-68) at 6-under were the next best, a T-27. Bhullar had five birdies against one bogey, while Yashas was bogey-free in his 68.
Rashid Khan, with a final round of 71 and a total of 3-under, was T-41 as were Kartik Singh (71) and Sachin Baisoya (67), whose final round had two eagles on the Par-5 third and Par-5 seventh. Kartik had an action-packed round with seven birdies, two bogeys, and two double bogeys.
Shaurya Bhattacharya, after a good start, finished with 71 with three birdies and a double bogey and was T-52, while Aman Raj (70) was T-56, Pukhraj Singh Gill (75) was T-59, Raghav Chugh (77) was T-64, as was Udayan Mane (73). Amateur Jai Bahl (74) finished T-67.
Winner of the IGPL Dubai, Kochhar had an outstanding week in terms of hitting as he found a lot of fairways and greens in regulation. However, the putter could have been better as he needed 28 or more putts on each of the four days, including 34 on the second day when he shot 73.
Kochhar, who was T-5 at the International Series Japan, is now looking forward to the `$ 2m International Series Morocco, as he continues his search for a maiden Asian Tour win, after having had a maiden win in Egypt on the Asian Development Tour, which had led to him gaining an Asian Tour card.
Kochhar birdied the third, 10th, 11th, and 14th, as he had 16 birdies during the week and left many more on the course.
The 28-year-old Lindh started the day three behind the overnight leader, Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech, but his eight-under par 64 was also the best round of the tournament.
Lindh, who had his childhood friend Isaac Bondesson in his bag, reached the edge of the green on the 18th in two shots and then putted from the fringe from 20 feet for the eagle.
Lindh said, “It feels good…feels really good. Feels like I’m still focused, but when everything settles a little bit, I will realise what I have done today. I have been playing well coming into this week, and I have been very, very excited to play golf the last couple of months, because the game has been feeling better. And thankfully, I got some good results today.”
Lindh now goes to next week’s US$`2 million International Series Morocco with a lot of confidence.
Settee managed only a 71 on the final and fell to a tie for second place at 14-under with American Charles Porter (66). Porter was 16-under after 17 holes and was tied with Lindh playing the last, but he pushed his second shot into the hazard and made a disappointing double bogey.
Settee, who had missed five cuts in a row, was disappointed at not winning, but said he was okay with second after a series of missed cuts.
Settee managed only a 71 on the final and fell to a tie for second place at 14-under with American Charles Porter (66). Porter was 16-under after 17 holes and was tied with Lindh playing the last, but he pushed his second shot into the hazard and made a disappointing double bogey.
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Ayoub Lguirati (69) was the leading Moroccan star, finishing tied 13th at nine-under.