BEIJING, May 2: Indian rookie Rahil Gangjee won his first Asian Tour title on Sunday after holding his nerve to win the inaugural Volkswagen Masters China in a sudden-death playoff.
The 25-year-old showed the poise of a veteran at Pine Valley Golf Club to emerge victorious after a pulsating final round which saw at least seven players in with a chance of winning the $300,000 event.
Gangjee and South Korea's Mo Joong-kyung finished tied on 15-under-par 273 after rounds of 68 and 66 respectively. The unheralded Indian triumphed in the first playoff hole with a par on the 18th hole after Mo found trouble in the greenside trap.
A jubilant Gangjee pocketed $48,450 for the win. South Korea's Mo sent his approach shot in the playoff into the greenside bunker and failed to find the putting green with his third shot.
After Mo's chip for par slipped by the hole, Gangjee safely two-putted from 15 feet to finish ahead of joint third-place finishers Phillip Price of Wales, Koreas Kang Wook-soon and Aussie duo Richard Moir and Adam Groom.
Leading final round scores:
273 - Rahil Gangjee (India) 69, 66, 70, 68; Mo Joong-kyung (South Korea) 70, 70, 67, 66 (Gangjee wins in first sudden-death playoff).
274 - Richard Moir (Australia) 67, 70, 69, 68; Phillip Price (Wales) 68, 70, 67, 69; Kang Wook-soon (South Korea) 70, 67, 68, 69; Adam Groom (Australia) 67, 69, 69, 69.
276 - Zhang Lian-wei (China) 68, 70, 69, 69; Kim Felton (Australia) 70, 67, 68, 71.
277 - Gerald Rosales (Philippines) 72, 65, 71, 69; Mardan Mamat (Singapore) 70, 68, 70, 69; Kyi Hla Han (Myanmar) 70, 68, 70, 69; Jason Knutzon (US) 69, 70, 68, 70; Alistair Presnell (Australia) 71, 68, 68, 70.
278 - Greg Hanrahan (US) 70, 70, 70, 68.
279 - David Hearn (Canada) 70, 69, 69, 71.
280 - Unho Park (Australia) 71, 67, 72, 70; Keith Horne (South Africa) 68, 70, 70, 72.
281 - Chawalit Plaphol (Thailand) 69, 71, 71, 70; Ross Bain (Scotland) 66, 73, 70, 72; Sushi Ishigaki (Japan) 70, 71, 69, 71; Lee Sung-man (South Korea) 71, 71, 66, 73.
CABRERA AHEAD
MILAN: Sweden's Joakim Haeggman produced a blistering finish to the Italian Open second round on Sunday, setting up the chance of a second title of the year as he surged to within a stroke of leader Angel Cabrera of Argentina.
Cabrera had set a seemingly unattainable target of 14-under-par 130 in the lightning-interrupted event on Saturday, firing a nine-under-par 63 to move two clear of Britain's Graeme McDowell. However, Haeggman nearly caught the Argentine with a brilliant putting display and a second-round 64 after returning to the course to birdie five of the last six holes, single-putting all six.
With the tournament cut to 54 holes because of weather interruptions, Cabrera holds a one-shot advantage going into final round as he bids for his third title.
Leading second round scores (Britain unless stated, a-denotes amateur):
130 - Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 67, 63.
131 - Joakim Haeggman (Sweden) 67, 64.
132 - Graeme McDowell 66, 66; Thomas Levet (France) 67, 65.
133 - Mark Roe 64, 69; Marcel Siem (Germany) 67, 66; Gregory Havret (France) 64, 69; Martin Maritz (South Africa) 67, 66; Martin Erlandsson (Sweden) 67, 66.
134 - Ian Poulter 68, 66; Alastair Forsyth 69, 65.
135 - Robert Coles 68, 67; Mark Foster 66, 69.
ELLIS IN FRONT
NEW ORLEANS American Danny Ellis held on to his lead as the second round of the weather-disrupted New Orleans Classic was finally completed on Sunday. Ellis, on 15-under-par 129, led compatriot Charles Howell III by one shot at the English Turn Golf and Country Club.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Paul Azinger, Craig Bowden, Ken Duke and Ryan Palmer shared third place on 132. Japan's Hidemichi Tanaka, Joe Ogilvie, David Sutherland and Bob Burns were tied for ninth on 133.
Vijay Singh climbed into contention with a seven-under 65 in the second round, while among those joining the world number two on 135 are US Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton, defending champion Steve Flesch and 2002 champion K.J. Choi of South Korea.
Leading second round scores (US unless stated):
129 - Danny Ellis 63, 66.
130 - Charles Howell III 66, 64.
132 - Phil Mickelson 67, 65; Matt Kuchar 69, 63; Craig Bowden 66, 66; Ken Duke 64, 68; Paul Azinger 66, 66; Ryan Palmer 68, 64.
133 - David Sutherland 66, 67; Joe Ogilvie 66, 67; Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan) 69, 64; Bob Burns 69, 64.
134 - Brian Bateman 67, 67; Bob Estes 69, 65.
135 - Steve Lowery 70, 65; Kirk Triplett 66, 69; David Toms 69, 66; Steve Flesch 68, 67; Skip Kendall 71, 64; Kelly Gibson 68, 67; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 67, 68; Hal Sutton 69, 66; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 70, 65. -Agencies
