Thomas Aiken wins Avantha Masters

Thomas Aiken of South Africa completed a closing round of 67 to win the European Tour's Avantha Masters in India by three shots from home player Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Thomas Aiken wins Avantha Masters (Getty Images)

Thomas Aiken of South Africa completed a closing round of 67 to win the European Tour's Avantha Masters in India by three shots from home player Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Aiken produced a stunning third round of 62 at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort to take a three shot lead into Sunday. But he faced early pressure as Bhullar got off to a storming start with three birdies and an eagle. Aiken responded with birdies of his own at the second and fifth holes before three further birdies on the back nine. Those were enough to secure a second European Tour title for the South African.

"I've been playing very nicely the last four months, not making a lot of mistakes, but just not sinking enough putts," he said. "This week a few went in, I hit some better iron shots which gave me a better chance to sink some putts, and I played some phenomenal golf."

Gaganjeet Bhullar capitalised on his excellent start and went on to post an eight-under-par 64, enough to secure second place on his own.

China's Liang Wen-chong followed a double-bogey on the sixth with a hole-in-one at the next hole. He finished with a 69 to claim third spot.

"To bounce back like that from the double-bogey showed lots of character," he said. "I could not make as many putts as I would have liked. You win some and you lose some, I tried my best and that's all I can ask for"

Scotland's David Drysdale was only four shots off the pace going into the final round, but he bogeyed the first hole and just couldn't get it going through the next 17. He finished with a 71 and claimed a tie for sixth with Australia's Scott Hend and David Horsey of England.

Avantha Masters Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida, Dehli, India Mar 14-17, purse €1,800,000 par 72 1   Thomas Aiken (RSA)   67   69   62   67   265   €300,000 2   Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 68   69   67   64   268   €200,000 3   Liang Wen-chong (Chn)   66   66   69   69   270   €112,680 4   Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 68 68   66   69   271   €90,000 5   Seuk-hyun Baek (Kor)   68   68   70   66   272   €76,320 T6   David Drysdale (Sco)   67   67   68   71   273   €54,000 T6   Scott Hend (Aus)      67   68   68   70   273   €54,000 T6   David Horsey (Eng)   72   68   66   67   273   €54,000 T9   Victor Dubuisson (Fra)   69   68   70   67   274   €35,100 T9   Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 69   65   69   71   274   €35,100 T9   Julien Quesne (Fra)   69   66   69   70   274   €35,100 T9   Himmat Rai (Ind)      70   71   68   65   274   €35,100   

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? PGA Tour - Kevin Streelman wins Tampa Bay Championship

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?