10 November 2019: The scent of an Indian victory filled the Thai Country Club today, but in the end, Shiv Kapur and SSP Chawrasia fell painfully short to settle for a solid week in the Thailand Open. John Catlin made a birdie on the first playoff hole to edge out Kapur and Pavit Tangkamolprasert for a memorable win. The three men were tied at 11-under after 72 holes. SSP Chawrasia made a gallant effort on Sunday, trying hard at every hole, only to suffer in silence with each hole. The undying warrior from Kolkata needed a birdie on the final hole to push himself into the playoff, but dropped to T6 with an untimely bogey.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (69) and Jyoti Randhawa (68) made a last gasp effort to climb inside the top twenty. They finished in T11 and T14 respectively. Viraj Madappa also made a 69 to end the week in T21.
Aadil Bedi, who started the week with a flourishing 66, finished on a similarly positive note. He shot 67 on Sunday to climb back up to T48. Khalin Joshi will return to India for a title defence in the Panasonic Open. He was even par through the weekend with consecutive scores of 71.
Chawrasia was playing in the final group with Thai amateur Natthaphat Harnchokchaiskul. Starting the day at 10-under, Chawrasia played an aggressive brand of golf, trying to put some distance from the chasing pack. But the pins were hardened on Sunday and Chawrasia had four bogeys on his card to three birdies as he made the bend with a bogey on the ninth hole.
Another bogey at the 10th hole was addressed with a gain on the 12th, but he was running out of holes as tried in vain to catchup with the leaders. He made a bold effort at the 18th, where he needed to birdie to make the playoff, conceding a bogey instead.
Shiv Kapur nearly flew in all the way, coming from afar. He caught fire at the bend, making a pair of birdies at 10 & 11. He was punctuated by a bogey on the 12th, but it proved to be momentary. In a sudden surge, Kapur flew to the front of the pack with a string that went – birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie – to join the party with Catlin.
An outright win seemed possible with the par-5, 17th offering opportunity, but he finished with a pair of pars to settle for a spot in the playoff. An errant tee shot meant that Kapur needed to make birdie from the far edge of the green to remain in the playoff. Catlin only had five feet for birdie. Kapur made a fine putt, navigating nearly 75 feet with the effort, but was just not enough.
