Shiv Kapur had a fine day on the greens as he converted the chances that came his way at the Sarawak Championships here on Sunday. The Indian closed the week with a superb eight-under 64 to finish T-21st.
It was by far the best round of the year from Kapur. Earlier in the week, he had been hitting the ball well, finding fairways and greens, but not converting them.
On Sunday, Kapur needed 25 putts, as against 27, 31 and 32 on first three days. Kapur finished at 15-under for the week as Andrew Dodt (64) edged out Richard Lee (66) on a playoff after both were tied at 24-under. The extremely low-scoring week was best exemplified on the leaderboard as the Top-10 shot 20-under or better.
Chikkarangappa finishes T-24th
Kapur was the best Indian at T-21st, while compatriot S. Chikkarangappa (68) was T-24th at 14-under. Aman Raj (70), at 12-under, was T-31st. Among other Indians, Khalin Joshi (71) was T-44th; Akshay Sharma (69) was T-51st; Udayan Mane (74) and Aadil Bedi (72) were T-54th; Rashid Khan (73) was T-59th; and Ajeetesh Sandhu (72) was T-61st.
This was Kapur’s best result and only the fourth cut that he had made in what has been a disappointing year so far. “Hopefully, the way I played it is a sign of better things and I am feeling good with my game,” said Kapur, who is also due to play in Indonesia in two weeks time.
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Dodt defeated Lee on the first extra hole after sinking a two-foot birdie putt to win his third Asian Tour title and first in four years. The 33-year-old Dodt, who is playing in his first event since suffering a two-month injury layoff in April, was left to endure an agonising wait in the clubhouse after closing with a flawless eight-under-par 64 at the Damai Golf and Country Club.
Nip and tuck
Knowing that he needed an eagle on the last to force extra time with Dodt, Lee opted for an aggressive style of play as he hit a three-wood off the deck from about 275 yards to eight-feet and made the eagle putt to sign for a closing 66. It was a sensational finish for Lee as he had to hit a big draw around the trees to get to the green on 18.
The duo, who were tied on 24-under-par 264 in regulation play, returned to the 517-yard par-five 18th for the sudden-death playoff where both found the middle of the fairway with their tee shots. Dodt laid up to about 75 yards from the pin while Lee decided to go for the green.
The 28-year-old Lee got lucky as his ball hit the cart path and bounced back to about 25 yards right of the green in the rough. He then chipped to 12 feet but his birdie putt would eventually lip out and it was Dodt who sealed the deal after sticking his approach to two-feet.
Third place for Micah Lauren
American Micah Lauren Shin missed a 20-feet birdie putt on the last to sign for a 65. He finished in third place on 265 in the full-field event, which celebrated its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.
Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand battled to a 69 to share the sixth place on 268 alongside a host of players, including Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, whose closing 62 would have matched the course record if not for the preferred lies ruling in play.
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