Hong Kong, Nov 12 (PTI) Karandeep Kochhar, who came to Hong Kong after a fine show in China, was the best Indian in tied-25th place with a 10-under-par total, at the Hong Kong Open here.
Kochhar, who is on track to get his full card for the Asian Tour next year, shot rounds of 67-66-69-68, which fetched him US$18,500.
Veer Ahlawat, who produced a brilliant 63 in the third round, shot 72 in the final round to finish T-30 alongside Ajeetesh Sandhu (69) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (68) at 8-under. Rashid Khan (70) was T-59.
Four other Indians had missed the cut.
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell drained a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th hole for a 66 to win the title after a gripping battle in the closing stages with playing partners Cameron Smith (68) from Australia and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai (69). Richard T Lee (64) was tied third with Phachara.
Campbell, who had not led at any stage of the tournament until that brilliant last putt, shot a four-under-par 66 to finish on 19-under-par and beat Smith by one and Phachara by two.
Smith returned a 68 and Phachara 69, while Canadian Lee came in with a 64 to tie for third.
All three players, playing in the final pairing, were tied playing the last hole with the chance of a sudden-death play-off very high.
However, Campbell won it in normal time after Smith had to lay up with his second shot and nearly holed his third before making a four, while Phachara missed his birdie putt from 25-feet and three putted after missing a three footer.
For Campbell, who also birdied the 17th, this is his maiden win on the Asian Tour, with his only other win in the professional game coming at the New Zealand PGA Championship in 2018.
The most recent Kiwi winner of the Hong Kong Open was Frank Nobilo in 1997, while the only other was Walter Godfrey 1972.
Source: PTI News
