Chiangmai, Thailand, 16-11-2014

Rashid Khan triumphs at Chiangmai Golf Classic, claims second title of the year & first overseas win

Jyoti Randhawa is joint runner-up

Rashid Khan of India produced an extraordinary effort of four-under-68 on the final day of the Chiangmai Golf Classic to claim his second Asian Tour title. Rashid, who posted his first overseas win on Sunday, totaled 17-under-271 for the week. Jyoti Randhawa’s joint runner-up finish at 16-under-272 made it two Indians in the top-3. Randhawa shot a 69 in the final round to share second place with Thai golfer Thanyakon Khrongpha. 

Rashid Khan (68-69-66-68), who began the day two off the lead in tied second place, delivered five birdies against a lone bogey in the final round. Rashid started well with a birdie on the second before heavy rain forced suspension of play. He suffered a setback soon after play resumed as he bogeyed the seventh courtesy a poor tee shot that led to a lost ball. 

Rashid then rallied with a tap-in birdie on the 10th and another birdie on the 12th. A long birdie putt on the 14th helped Rashid overtake Khrongpha and take the outright lead. He further consolidated with a brilliant par save from the bunker on the par-3 15th. The 23-year-old held on with pars on the next three holes to win his second Asian Tour title of the year. His only previous win on the Asian Tour came at the SAIL-SBI Open earlier this year at his home course, the Delhi Golf Club.

Rashid’s win on Sunday accounted for his seventh professional title and pushed him up from 22nd place to eighth position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“This win is really special because it is my second win this year and first outside of India. I was looking at the leaderboard and everyone was making a move. But I had faith in my game so heading into the last few holes, I was very confident I could win the tournament,” smiled Khan, who won US$135,000.

“I found the bunker on the 15th hole. I had a shot but it was a tight line. It was very important because I only had a one-shot lead going into the 18th hole. That par gave me a bit of boost because I needed to maintainmy one-shot lead. The last three holes were very exciting!” he explained.

Khan, who won his first Asian Tour title in March, reaped the benefits of working with his mental coach, Aparna Jain. “You can see the result from this week. She was asking me about my tournament and I told her that I had a chance to win. She just told me to stay patient and now I’m the winner.”

Rashid’s victory was also the 65th by an Indian at the international level. It was the sixth international title triumph by an Indian in 2014. Anirban Lahiri has two wins to his name this year while SSP Chowrasia and Chikkarangappa have one each.

Jyoti Randhawa (68-65-70-69) seemed to be back at the top of his game as he earned a creditable runner-up finish after a final round of 69 that saw him make five birdies and two bogeys. The nine-time Asian Tour winner had a slow start with a bogey on the first but then made a charge with birdies on the fourth, sixth and eighth. He sank a mammoth 50-footer on the sixth. A poor tee shot resulted in a bogey on the 11th. Jyoti tried to come back in the game with birdies on the 14th and 15th but could not catch up with Rashid till the end.

“I played under pressure these last two days and I managed to get my swing right. These young guys look up to me and try to beat me but now I have to keep up with them! I’m looking forward to it and I’m glad that I’m there and a threat to them,” said the 42-year-old Randhawa.

PGTI member Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka finished tied fifth at 13-under-275.

Chikkarangappa was the third Indian in the top-20 as he bagged tied 16th place at seven-under-281.

Among the other Indians who made the cut, Chiragh Kumar (four-under-284) was tied 31st, Shubhankar Sharma (one-under-281) was tied 46th, M Dharma (four-over-292) was tied 60th and Abhijit Chadha (five-over-293) was 63rd.