Kochi (Japan): In-form Jeev Milkha Singh braved rain and tough conditions here on Sunday to win the Casio World Open golf tournament and end his six-year title drought in Japan.
Displaying his best iron play of the season, Jeev closed his final round with a 10-foot birdie that gave him a score of four-under 68 and a four-round total of 16-under 272 to bag the cheque of 28 million yen (approx. $ 241,000).
David Smail of New Zealand shot a 68 and finished two shots behind Jeev at 14-under 274, while Shingo Katayama (68), Toshinori Muto (70), Lin Keng Chi (69) and Tetsuya Haraguchi (72) ended third at 12-under 276.
The win was Jeev’s first in Japan in six years and his third title of the year after wins at Volvo China Open in April and Volvo Masters of Europe in September.
It also meant Jeev has now won on three tours this year with Volvo China being a joint-sanctioned event on Asian and European Tour and Volvo Masters the biggest event on European Tour.
The result also continued his amazing run through 2006, during which he won three times, finished in top-ten 11 times in 16 starts in Japan and had 15 worldwide top-10 finishes.
Jeev, who started the season at 376th place in the world, was 63rd at the start of the week. He could now well storm into top-50 when the new rankings are announced on Monday.
A top-50 place in world rankings could get him into the Majors next year. He is already assured of the British Open berth next year as he finished on top of the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit.
The Indians have played in each of the other three Majors, the British Open, US Open and PGA Championships.
Jeev, who plays next week in the Golf Nippon Series, the last event on Japan Tour this year and then after a week’s break, he will play the Volvo Masters of Asia in a bid to become the first player to win Tour championships in both Europe and Asia.
Jeev’s win also carried him to a career-high sixth place on Japan money list. Earlier, he finished 16th in Volvo Masters European Order of Merit.
Approaching the 18th green, Jeev knew he was safely placed. He reached the green in three and had a 10-footer for birdie, which he duly holed. Interestingly, Jeev’s earlier two wins this year came with bogey-finishes. This time around, he had the cushion for a par, but he birdied and increased his winning lead to two.
Jeev began the third day as the co-leader with Haraguchi, who faded away midway through the round. Jeev stayed abreast of others and ensured there was always a handy gap between him and the rest.
He birdied the first and then the fourth and moved into sole lead, which he never relinquished despite his three-putt bogey on eighth. He also birdied the seventh, tenth and 18th and placed superbly in the rainy and cold conditions.
Smail pushed Jeev all the way and narrowed the gap to one stroke with a birdie on 17. Jeev needed an up and down to save par on 17 and then birdied his last hole for a two-stroke triumph. Chinese Taipei’s Lin Keng-chi finished joint third on 12-under after signing off with a 69. (PTI)
