Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar fired a bogey free 4-under 68 on the final day to register yet another Top-10 finish this season at the US$500,000 Am Green IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco. He finished Tied-9th, as his third Top-10 of the year, carried him up to 12th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Kochhar, who had rounds of 66-73-70-68 totalled 11-under as Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69-70-67-64) totalled 18-under for a comprehensive win. He had 16 birdies during the week and left many more on the course.
Lindh was second in his last outing at the Kolon Korea Open and this week he produced a very consistent performance that saw him rise to third on the Order of Merit. Lindh closed his win in a commanding manner, landing an eagle on the 18th for a four-shot win.
The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Asian Tour. Among other Indian IGPL players, Gaganjeet Bhullar (75-70-69-68) and Yashas Chandra (75-68-71-68) at 6-under were the next best a Tied-27th. Bhullar had five birdies against one bogey, while Yashas was bogey free in his 68. Rashid Khan with a final round of 71 and a total of 3-under was Tied-41st as were Kartik Singh (71) and Sachin Baisoya (67), whose final round had two eagles on the Par-5 third and Par-5 seventh. Kartik had an action-packed round with seven birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys.
Shaurya Bhattacharya after a good start finished closed with 71 with three birdies and a double bogey and was T-52, while Aman Raj (70) was T-56, Pukhraj Singh Gill (75) was T-59, Raghav Chugh (77) was T-64 as was Udayan Mane (73). Amateur Jai Bahl (74) finished T-67.
Winner of IGPL Dubai, Kochhar had an outstanding week in terms of hitting as he found a lot of fairways and greens in regulation. However, the putter could have been better as he needed 28 or more putts on each of the four days, including 34 on the second day when he shot 73. The local lad who was T-5 at the International Series Japan is now looking forward to the $2m International Series Morocco, as he continues his search for a maiden Asian Tour win, after having had a maiden win in Egypt on the Asian Development Tour, which had led to him gaining an Asian Tour card.
The 28-year-old Lindh started the day three behind the overnight leader, Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech, but his eight-under par 64 was also the best round of the tournament.
Lindh, who had his childhood friend Isaac Bondesson on his bag, reached the edge of the green on the 18th in two shots, and then a putt from20 feet for the eagle.
Settee managed only a 71 on the final and fell to a tie for second place at 14-under with American Charles Porter (66). Porter was 16-under after 17 holes and was tied with Lindh playing the last, but he pushed his second shot into the hazard and made a disappointing double bogey. Settee, who had missed five cuts in a row, was disappointed at not winning, but said he was okay with second after a series of missed cuts.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut carded 66 and rose to tied fourth place alongside England’s Sam Broadhurst (68). American Marcus Plunkett also shot a 66 to move to tied sixth place at 12-under where he was joined by the Thai duo of Poom Saksansin (69) and Runchanapong Youprayong (70).
Ayoub Lguirati (69) was the leading Moroccan star, finishing tied 13th at nine-under.
The Asian Tour will now move to capital Rabat for the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.
Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar secures 3rd Top-10 finish of season in Morocco
