title in dominating fashion
Indian hotshot Gaganjeet Bhullar lifted the $500,000 Macao Open trophy for the second time in his career after closing with a 3-under 68 to complete a stunning wire-to-wire victory.
The 29-year-old fired seven birdies against two bogeys and a double-bogey to win by three shots with a 13-under 271 total (64-65-74-68) for his eighth Asian Tour victory at the Macau Golf and Country Club.
He took home a winner’s prize purse of US$90,000 and became only the third player after Australian Scott Hend (2013 and 2015) and Zhang Lian-wei of China (2001-2002) to win the storied event twice since the tournament was inaugurated in 1998. The win helped Bhullar jump to the 13th spot on the Asian Tour Order of Merit from 26th place a week prior.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Bhullar claimed a wire-to-wire victory for the third time in his career and for the second time at the Macao Open. He won the 2012 Macao Open and 2013 Indonesia Open after leading from start to finish.
- Bhullar is the first player to win eight titles on the Asian Tour before turning 30. He is also the youngest player to achieve this feat on the Asian Tour.
- With this victory, Bhullar equals the maximum number of Asian Tour wins by Indians alongside Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa.
- Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant holds the record with 18 victories. Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng sit in second and third places with 13 and 10 wins respectively. England’s Lee Westwood and Australian Scott Hend both hold nine Asian Tour titles in total.
- Bhullar is the fourth Indian, after S.S.P. Chawrasia, Shiv Kapur and Ajeetesh Sandhu, to win on the Asian Tour this season out of total 20 events.
(Read more in the November issue of Golf Digest India. Download here.)