Kapur ties for third in best finish of the year

Siem Reap (Cambodia), Nov 22 : A costly double bogey on the seventh hole of the final round left Shiv Kapur just short of what would have been his first Asian Tour title since 2005 as he finished third at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open here Sunday.

Kapur was seven-under 281 while Australian Marcus Both was the winner at nine-under after four days and hit 67 in the final round. The win ended Both's frustrating six-year title drought on the Asian Tour. He secured a nail-biting one-stroke victory over Malaysia's Shaaban Hussin.

Among other Indians, Anirban Lahiri with a bogey-free 68 moved to four-under 284 and tied 13th place, 20 places up from his overnight 33rd. Vikrant Chopra, who was eighth after the first round finished with a 70 that saw him move to three-under and tied 17th.

Rahil Gangjee had an eventful round with five birdies, two bogeys, one double bogey and one triple bogey in his 74 that saw him finish one-over 289 for four rounds and in tied 38th place.

Kapur, whose 74 Saturday saw him fall to sixth after three rounds, started his round brightly with three birdies on the second, fourth and fifth holes and he was suddenly close to the top.

But a double bogey on the seventh hole halted his progress as he finished with a 70 which nevertheless was enough to secure his Asian Tour card for next season. It was his best finish of the year on any of the International Tours.

Kapur said: "One of the goals that I wanted to accomplish coming into this week was to secure my card and I managed to accomplish that. I didn't get my win but it was nice to be in contention. Sometimes you just come out short." Kapur has already secured his European Tour card.

Both was six off the pace going into the final round but fired a closing five-under-par 67 to secure a winning total of nine-under-par 279 at the $300,000 Asian Tour tournament.

Shaaban needed a birdie on the 18th hole to force a play-off but could only make par as he signed for a 70 to finish a career-high second at the Phokeethra Country Club.

Singapore's Mardan Mamat (67), Kapur (70) and Thailand's rising star Annop Tangkamolprasert (74) finished a further shot behind on 281.

Overnight leader Craig Smith of Wales failed to maintain his title charge and closed with a disappointing 76 for tied sixth place alongside Will Yanagisawa of the United States and Thailand's Pariya Junhasavasdikul on 282.

Both was delighted to return to the winner's rostrum. "I was not thinking about winning and the only time I looked at the leaderboard was when I was walking up on the 16th hole. I thought I needed to shoot six-under to get close but I guess I'm just fortunate that everything fell my way," said Both, who took home a cheque of $47,550.

The lanky Australian started his charge with birdies on the second, sixth and eight holes to make the turn in 33 and continued his hot streak with three consecutive birdies from the 11th hole. A dropped shot on the 14th hole ensured a nervous wait in the clubhouse for Both.

Shaaban came agonisingly close after challenging for the lead with four birdies en route to a 70 but at the end, he rued a double bogey on the ninth hole after finding water. He needed to birdie the last hole to force extra-time but could only make a par after finding the fairway bunker.

Singaporean veteran Mardan was also in sensational form as he carded a flawless round highlighted by five birdies. He closed with a 12-foot birdie on the 18th hole and was delighted to finish joint third.