India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar strengthened his credentials as one of the rising stars of Asian golf as he logged a top-10 finish at the $6.1 million CIMB Classic here on Sunday.
Closing the week with a bogey-free four-under 67, Bhullar finished at 15-under 269 in tied 10th place.
India’s other man in the field, Anirban Lahiri suffered a double bogey on the 16th in his 69 that saw him finish at 10-under in tied 26th place. The best Asian Tour finisher was Jbe Kruger (68) in the eighth place.
Nick Watney shot an electrifying 61 to win Malaysia’s US$6.1 million CIMB Classic and hold off charges by Tiger Woods and defending champion Bo Van Pelt in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Watney, 31, became the second player in two days to flirt with a magical 59 at the par-71 Mines Resort and Golf Club, before bogeying the last as the pressure told.
But his 10-under-par round was enough for a thrilling one-shot win, while Van Pelt botched a chance to force a play-off on the 18th — the same hole where he also missed a 59 on Saturday.
Robert Garrigus birdied the last two holes to share second with Van Pelt. Woods, the 14-time Major champion who had threatened to steal the show, finished tied fourth with Brendon de Jonge and Chris Kirk.
Woods, starting the day five shots off the lead, had roared into contention with six birdies in his first 10 holes, and he picked up two more shots in his last three holes for a 63.
But Watney, turning at five under, added another six birdies up the back nine. Despite his lone bogey on 18, he finished with 22-under 262 for his sixth victory in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event, and his second of the year.
Van Pelt needed a birdie on the last hole to set up a play-off. But he put his tee shot onto an adjacent fairway and then bunkered his recovery, before scrambling to save par — to the relief of the waiting Watney.
Woods, who now heads to China for Monday’s one-round exhibition event with World No.1 Rory McIlroy, was left to rue a stumbling back nine on Saturday which cost him the chance of victory.
