0
NEW DELHI, March 30: American Mike Cunning dismantled local hopes with an eight-under 64 in the final round to win his maiden title on the Asian PGA Tour at the $300,000 Indian Open on Sunday.
The 42-year-old, who had not won for eight years on the Tour despite clinching the order of merit title in 1997, finished on 18-under 270 for the tournament.
That was five shots ahead of Canada’s Rick Gibson, who was runner-up for the second straight year.
Four of the last five editions of the tournament had been won by Indians but overnight leader Jyoti Randhawa, the odds-on favourite going into the last round on the course where he won back-to-back Indian Masters titles in 1998 and 1999, lost his way despite starting with a birdie to shoot 74.
Leading final round scores:
270 — Mike Cunning (US) 69, 69, 68, 64.
275 — Rick Gibson (Canada) 65, 72, 69, 69.
276 — Adam Groom (Australia) 67, 69, 69, 71; James Kingston (South Africa) 69, 67, 71, 69.
277 — Zaw Moe (Myanmar) 63, 73, 70, 71.
278 — Jyoti Randhawa (India) 66, 71, 67, 74; Arjun Atwal (India) 69, 72, 67, 70.
279 — Mo Joong Kyung (South Korea) 69, 71, 67, 72; Aung Win (Myanmar) 71, 68, 71, 69.
280 — Digvijay Singh (India) 69, 73, 67, 71; Craig Kamps (South Africa) 73, 69, 69, 69.
281 — Thammanoon Srirot (Thailand) 70, 71, 71, 69; Amritinder Singh (India) 69, 74, 69, 69.
282 — David Gleeson (Australia) 70, 72, 70, 70; Richard Backwell (Australia) 70, 73, 69, 70; Anura Rohana (Sri Lanka) 73, 70, 69, 70.
283 — Chen Yuan Chi (Taiwan) 69, 71, 71, 72; Kim Felton (Australia) 67, 73, 72, 71; Mardan Mamat (Singapore) 70, 72, 70, 71; Yusuf Ali (India) 70, 72, 71, 70; Brad Kennedy (Australia) 72, 72, 71, 68; Steve Friesen (US) 70, 74, 72, 67.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH (Florida): Jay Haas hit a five-under-par 67 to join Ireland’s Padraig Harrington at the top of the leaderboard after the third round of the Players Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass on Saturday.
Haas and Harrington (70) were both 11-under on 205, two shots ahead of Davis Love III (70), Fred Couples (69) and defending champion Craig Perks (70) of New Zealand.
Leading third round scores (US unless stated):
205 — Jay Haas 68, 70, 67; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 67, 68, 70.
207 — Fred Couples 67, 71, 69; Davis Love III 70, 67, 70; Craig Perks (New Zealand) 68, 69, 70.
208 — Darren Clarke (Britain) 71, 70, 67; Corey Pavin 70, 69, 69.
209 — Jaff Maggert 71, 70, 68; Jim Furyk 73, 68, 68; Steve Flesch 71, 68, 70; Chad Campbell 72, 66, 71.
210 — Duffy Waldorf 70, 72, 68; Tiger Woods 72, 70, 68; Bob Tway 68, 73, 69; Tim Clark (South Africa) 69, 72, 69.—Reuters
