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Bhullar strolls to Indonesian Masters for 11th Asian Tour win

AFP
Monday, Nov 20, 2023

JAKARTA: Gaganjeet Bhullar shot a final-round 67 to stroll to a five-stroke victory at the Indonesian Masters on Sunday, his fifth tournament victory in the country.

The 35-year-old Bhullar finished at 24-under par 260, well clear of compatriot Karandeep Kochhar who carded a 63 to finish on 19-under par.

New Zealand´s Ben Campbell, who won the Hong Kong Open a week ago, was a stroke further back in a tie for third with Spain´s David Puig. Bhullar´s win was set up by Saturday´s third-round of eight-under-par 63 that left him at 20-under with a commanding seven-shot for the final day at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Bhullar´s bid for an 11th Asian Tour victory -- the most by any player from his nation -- never looked in doubt as he led all four rounds. He sealed the Asian Tour´s International Series finale in style with an eagle three at the 18th hole. “Today I played pretty well actually,” said Bhullar who also had a chip-in at the 16th for a birdie three. “I struggled a bit in the middle of the round, there was a stretch when I was trying my level best but I was not making the birdies, but the chip-in turned around everything.

“And, of course the eagle on the last was the icing on the cake.” Bhullar had three previous wire-to-wire wins on the Asian Tour -- at the Macau Open in 2012 and 2017, and the 2013 Indonesia Open.

Andy Ogletree had already wrapped up the International Series order of merit before this week´s final event in Jakarta where he finished tied 41st on six-under par.

The American has booked his place on the LIV Golf circuit for next year as a result. Bhullar´s win lifted him from 46th place to eighth on the final International Series order of merit.