By Rahul Banerji
Dubai-based amateur Rayhan Thomas finished tied second at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships (APAC) in Singapore on Sunday, the best finish by an Indian in the event.
The 20-year-old ended two shots behind Japan’s Takumi Kanaya (65), and alongside Asian Games individual gold medallist Keita Nakajima (67). also of Japan.
Rayhan’s last round was a 4-under par 66. His finish bettered Khalin Joshi’s tied ninth in 2010.
“This medal (silver) means a lot to me. The 4-over on the first day was pretty disheartening but I am very proud to have fought back from there and come so close,” said Rayhan.
Hard lesson
“What I have learnt most of all is that you can’t shoot 4-over on first day and still win a championships like this.
“It is good to know that I can win this as I still have maybe two or three shots at it (the AAC),” he added.
Kanaya, 20, totaled 13-under 267. Thomas and Nakajima were 11-under 269.
Kanaya was a runner-up at the World Amateur Championships last month, days after being part of Japan’s Asian Games gold medal winning team in Jakarta,
While the winner qualified directly into the 2019 Masters and the 2019 Open Championships, both Thomas and Nakajima will get to play the final stage of the British Open Qualifying Series.
Good display
Overall, it was India’s best display at the APAC.
Rayhan was followed by Kartik Sharma (70) in T-13, while Yuvraj Sandhu (71) ended T-25. Kshitij Naveed Kaul (67) was T-38 and Varun Parikh (74) T-57.
Thomas fought back from a 4-over card on the first day. With subsequent rounds of 64, 65 and 66, he was 15-under for the last 54 holes.
Overnight leader and defending champion, Lin Yuxin (75) had a disappointing day and slipped to Tied-9.
Kanaya is the second Japanese after Hideki Matsuyama to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur, who won in 2010 and 2011.
Madappa fourth in Taiwan
In Taipei, Viraj Madappa recovered from three missed cuts to finish fourth in the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on Sunday.
The 20-year-old was however, unable to challenge America’s John Catlin, who carded a flawless seven-under-par 65 to take the winner’s cheque.
Catlin became only the fifth to win three titles in a single season on the Asian Tour.
Karandeep Kochhar (68) was T14 alongside Rashid Khan. Shiv Kapur (72) finished T30, Khalin Joshi T41, while Himmat Rai (69) and S. Chikkarangappa (72) were T-52.
SSP down the field
Former Indian Open champion S.S.P Chawrasia (72) was T-57.
Madappa said later, “I was a little disappointed I didn’t get off to a good start today but I gave myself lots of opportunities in the middle of the round.
“But I’m still happy with the way I’m playing. It was tough mentally but I’m glad I stuck to my game plan and managed to stay focused.
“I feel like my game is there physically but I’ve got to work on my mental strength which was lacking the last few weeks. If my mental strength is strong, I can work my way up the leaderboard.”
Read also: India fall out of contention for golf medals at Jakarta Asiad
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