Hong Kong, Oct 19 (IANS): Indian golfer S.S.P. Chowrasia finished joint fifth while Rahil Gangjee and Jyoti Randhawa ended joint 15th in the Hong Kong Open, which was won by Australian Scott Hend in a sudden death play-off here Sunday.
Chowrasia fired four-under 67 to score 271 while Gangjee and Randhawa carded 66 and 72 in the final round to end with score of 274 at the Hong Kong Golf Club which saw a new champion in Hend, who beat Philippines' Angelo Que in a play-off after they were tied at an aggregate score of 267.
Big-hitting Hend holed a five-foot par putt at the 18th green in the first extra hole after Que bogeyed following a poor chip from the greens.
Hend produced a wonderful par from a plugged lie in the greenside bunker on 18 during regulation play to sign for a closing three-under-par 67 and tie Que on 13-under-par 267 aggregate.
The Filipino had set the clubhouse target after a fine 66 which included a memorable birdie at the closing hole, called The Ultimate, which would rank amongst the great birdies produced over the years at the famous hole.
It was Hend’s sixth Asian Tour victory and his first on the European Tour, which was worth $216,660. He joined an illustrious list of past champions which includes Major winners Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Peter Thomson, Tom Watson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Padraig Harrington and Ian Woosnam.
Final scores:
267 - Scott Hend (AUS) 67-66-67-67, Angelo Que (PHI) 65-69-67-66.
269 - Kevin Phelan (IRL) 69-67-67-66.
270 - Mark Foster (ENG) 67-68-66-69.
271 - S.S.P. Chowrasia (IND) 69-65-70-67, Lucas Bjerregaard (DEN) 69-68-67-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 66-65-71-69, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 67-67-65-72.
272 - Eduardo De La Riva (ESP) 68-67-70-67, Raphael Jacquelin (FRA) 66-67-69-70, Cameron Smith (AUS) 68-65-69-70.
273 - Lu Wei-chih (TPE) 66-68-71-68, Seve Benson (ENG) 68-66-71-68, Javier Colomo (ESP) 68-70-64-71.
274 - Rahil Gangjee (IND) 68-68-72-66, Lee Slattery (ENG) 68-66-73-67, Richard Bland (ENG) 70-65-70-69, Adam Groom (AUS) 67-68-68-71, Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 64-70-68-72.
275 - Rikard Karlberg (SWE) 67-70-72-66, Peter Whiteford (SCO) 67-70-71-67, Daniel Im (USA) 69-68-70-68, Charlie Wi (KOR) 70-68-69-68, Shiv Kapur (IND) 68-68-70-69, Mikko Korhonen (FIN) 69-67-70-69, Daan Hutzing (NED) 66-68-71-70, Prom Meeswat (THA) 71-66-68-70, Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA) 69-68-68-70, Mo Joong-kyung (KOR) 68-71-66-70, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 66-69-66-74.