Macau: Indian hotshot Gaganjeet Bhullar lifted the Macao Open trophy for the second time in his career after closing with a three-under-par 68 to complete a stunning wire-to-wire victory yesterday.
The 29-year-old Bhullar fired seven birdies against two bogeys and a double-bogey to win by three shots with a 13-under-par 271 total for his eighth Asian Tour victory at the Macau Golf and Country Club.
Bhullar took home a winner's prize purse of US$90,000 (approximately three million baht) and became only the third player after Australian Scott Hend (2013 and 2015) and Zhang Lian-wei of China (2001-2002) to win the event twice since the tournament was inaugurated in 1998.
"Every time you win wire-to-wire on the Asian Tour, you learn a lot. I want to grow as a player and you learn so much from winning and even losing," said Bhullar.
"I'm glad that this is my eighth Asian Tour title and I've got so many more events to play on the Asian Tour. The next goal is to start thinking and preparing on the next victory."
Filipino ace Angelo Que battled to a 69 to share second place with Ajeetesh Sandhu of India, who posted a 70, at the $500,000 (16.5 million baht) Asian Tour event. Taiwan's Hung Chien-yao took fourth place following a 72 for a 276 total.
India's Rashid Khan returned with the day's low round of 64 to grab a share of fifth place on a 278 total alongside American Johannes Veerman, who closed with a 70.
Suttijet Kooratanapisan (68) and Prom Meesawat (70) were the best Thais after both finished in a tie for ninth with Jbe Kruger (70) of South Africa on 281.
Defending champion Pavit Tangkamolprasert was tied 12th on 282 after a closing 73.
China's Lin Yuxin, the only amateur to make the halfway cut, produced the shot of the day when his 5-iron from 240 yards found the bottom of the cup for a magical albatross on the par-five 18th hole.
This was the 24th albatross on the Asian Tour and a second at the Macao Open. It was also the first albatross scored by an amateur on the region's premier Tour.
