Impressive Bhullar wins Macau Open

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Gaganjeet Bhullar survived an early back nine slump to bring home a solid three-under 68 on the final day and clinch the Venetian Macau Open title, his second in less than a month, here on Sunday.

Bhullar finished in style with a birdie to sign off with a four-day total of 16-under 268, two shots clear of American Jonathan Moore, who had five birdies in his last five holes.

Making it sweeter for India was Shiv Kapur, who carded a four-under 67 to total 10-under and finish sole fifth.

Himmat Rai (70) was 38th at one-under 283 and Ajeetesh Sandhu (73) was one-over 285 in 47th place.

Moore (65) finished second, while Thitiphun Chuayprakong (70) of Thailand and Siddikur (66) of Bangladesh were tied third and Kapur (67) was fifth.

This is Bhullar’s fourth Asian Tour title following wins in 2009 Indonesia President Invitational, the 2010 Asian Tour International, Thailand and the 2012 Yeangder Tournament Players’ Championship, Chinese Taipei.

He has also won once on European Challenge Tour, the 2011 Gujarat Kensville Challenge.

Bhullar opened the week with a stunning 63 and proceeded to dominate the field with subsequent rounds of 68, 69 and 68 on the next three days.

In four days, he had just seven bogeys against 26 birdies.

The 24-year-old, Bhullar, who won the Yeangder TPC Championships last month, has been having an outstanding year with two wins, two second places, one third place and three other top-10 finishes in a total of 15 starts.

It will also put him in the race for the Asian Tour Order of Merit title with some big-ticket events to come in the next two months.

Bhullar had four birdies in his first seven holes and seemed to be cruising to another superb win, when he found bogeys in the 10th and 13th.

But he pulled himself back from that with steady par, a missed birdie putt and finally a solid birdie on 18th to close with a 68.

Bhullar was in a zone as he birdied second, third, fifth and seventh to race through the front nine in a stunning 31, which suggested he was running away with the title.

The two bogeys early on back nine halted his cruise, but the young Indian talent gathered himself admirably again and closed the deal.

Thai Thitiphun Chuayprakong (70) gave Bhullar a hard chase for first seven holes, but then a double bogey on eighth spoilt it all.

Though he birdied ninth, he found no more on the back nine and instead dropped two shots.

Jonathan Moore had a three-under 32 front nine, but seemed to have lost his way with back-to-back bogeys on 12th and 13th, both par-fives.

Then again he exploded with five birdies in a row from 14th to 18th to vault to 14-under and sole second ahead of Siddikur (66) and Thitiphun, who finished at 12-under.