Hong Kong: SSP Chowrasia signed off with a spectacular five-under 65, the best card of the day by an Indian, to join compatriot Jyoti Randhawa at tied 22nd after the final round of the Hong Kong Open golf tournament Sunday.

After his previous round of three-over 73 had dashed his top 10 prospects, the diminutive Chowrasia fired 65 Sunday to aggregate eight-under 272 to share the 22nd place with seven others, including Randhawa who returned an even-par card.

Plagued by poor starts in the previous rounds, Indian ace Jeev Milkha Singh brought home his best card, a neat 66, to haul himself up and join Rahil Gangjee (69) at tied 36th with an aggregate of six-under 274.

Shiv Kapur (276) finished tied 48th after signing off with four-under 66. Unheralded French pro Gregory Bourdy (261) staved off Rory McIlroy’s (263) spectacular charge to lift the title by two strokes.

The second place finish here also catapulted McIlroy to the top of the European Tour Order of Merit.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee lifted an unprecedented third Asian Tour Order of Merit crown, fending off the challenge of closest rival Liang Wen-chong of China.

Liang needed at least a second place finish to keep his merit hopes alive this week but finished in tied-11th place with Thongchai.

Chowrasia had a smooth sailing over the first eight holes at the end of which he was placed comfortably at three-under.

The ninth hole bogey ate into his cushion but on his way back, Chowrasia birdied the 13th, 14th and 17th to sign off in style. Randhawa’s even-par final round included three birdies and as many bogeys. (PTI)