Asian Tour: brilliant Bhullar makes it hat-trick of wins at Indonesia Open, as Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho finishes 11th
- Gaganjeet Bhullar ‘riding high on confidence’ as he cards a bogey-free 7-under-par 65
- Overnight leader Rashid Khan ties for 2nd, while Kho fades after starting the day 2 shots off the lead
Gaganjeet Bhullar produced one of the finest performances of his career to win the Mandiri Indonesia Open for a record third time on Sunday.
The Indian golfer shot a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 in the final round to finish on 20 under overall, two strokes ahead of England’s Steve Lewton, who started the day in a tie for 13th and finished it tied for second after his eight-under 64.
The only amateur golfer in the field to finish anywhere near the top, Kho reached the turn of his final round at two under, following birdies at holes seven and nine, but then gave shots back after the turn.
A birdie at the par-four 14th was sandwiched in between bogeys at 13 and 15, and the Hongkonger parred the closing holes to finish seven shots off the pace.
Overnight leader Rashid Khan could only manage a 68 and finished alongside Lewton, as Bhullar holed some brilliant putts and crucial par saves to secure his 10th win on the Asian Tour and first since 2018.
“I played like a champion tee to green and gave myself so many birdie opportunities,” said the 34-year-old Indian, who previously won the event in 2013 and 2016, with the latter win also at Pondok Indah Golf Course.
“I was riding high on confidence, hit the ball really good. It is a great week; I had a lot of positive memories having won this tournament two times previous – that was definitely on my subconscious mind. The goal was just to go out there and give my 100 per cent.”
Lewton stormed through with four birdies in the last seven holes, including on 17 and 18.
“It was fun,” he said. “Yeah, played really good this weekend. It felt like I left quite a few out there, but on the whole, seeing as I haven’t played for a while, I played really well.”
Khan also made up ground over the closing holes with four birdies on the homeward stretch having started with nine straight pars.
“It was a little confusing for me at the start,” said the Indian. “I couldn’t make any birdies on the first nine holes, so it was a little difficult for me to come back after that.
“I had my first birdie on the 10th, so I [began] thinking that I can make a few more. When I checked the score, Bhullar played a really good round today, shot seven under and bogey free.”
