Randhawa and Bhullar highlight India’s success in Asian Tour
By IANSWednesday, June 3, 2009
SENTOSA - Indian golfer Jyoti Randhawas win at the Singha Thailand Open and Gaganjeet Bhullars second place at the SAIL Open were the highlights for India as the Asian Tour completed its first half of the 2009 season with a sprinkling of magical feats which included a world scoring record and historic milestones by one of the regions golf legends.
Randhawa returned to the winning circle after a gap of more than a year, while Bhullar, knocking at the doors of stardom on Asian Tour, was unable to catch up with the record-breaking big-hitting Thai star Chapchai Nirat who wrote a slice of history with his record-shattering 32-under-par 256 aggregate victory at the SAIL Open.
Nine tournaments gripped by edge-of-the-seat action and world-class golf were staged across Asia, bringing the curtains down to a magical first half of the Asian Tour season. After the Qualifying School, won by Japans Daisuke Maruyama in January, one of the Tour graduates, James Kamte of South Africa, made the most of his new playing opportunity to claim victory at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok.
South Korean-American Anthony Kang birdied the 72nd hole at the Maybank Malaysian Open to end a long eight-year title drought before the golfing world welcomed the arrival of another exciting young star when New Zealands amateur Danny Lee, who is of Korean descent, triumphed at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia.
Thailands Thongchai Jaidee, a double Order of Merit champion, showed his class with victory at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open to become the player with the most titles on the Asian Tour with 11 wins.
Randhawa won the Singha Thailand Open, which made a return after a three-year lapse, before Thai Chapchai Nirat wrote his name in the record books with a 32-under-par 256 aggregate at the SAIL Open.
Chapchais mark was the lowest ever winning score on any international Tour and made headlines worldwide. Swedens Johan Edfors was ruthless to win the inaugural Black Mountain Masters in Thailand before Thongchai cemented his place atop the Order of Merit with a second title of the year at the Ballantines Championship in South Korea where he prevailed in a three-man play-off.
It pushed Thongchai into the worlds top-50 and made him one of the globes hottest players as it was his fourth Asian Tour success over a span of five months.
Talented South Korean Bae Sang-moon brought the curtains down on the opening half of the season with a play-off success over compatriot Ted Oh, bringing his career tally to an impressive three wins before his 23rd birthday.
