Reborn Rahil Ganjee holds on well in Diamond Cup finish

By Rahul Banerji

The evergreen Rahil Ganjee may not have gone as well as he would have wanted to at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup in Chiba, Japan, but he did well enough to come in as the best-finishing Indian on Sunday.

The 40-year-old, who broke a 14-year wait between titles with an Asian Tour win at the Panasonic Open Championship also in Japan last year, brought in a 10-over par card of 294 in tough scoring conditions.

The fact that eventual winner Yosuke Asaji of Japan finished on 3-under 281 that included a final day 1-over par card indicates just how hard players had to work out on the course through the four days of the event.

Viraj Madappa, the second Indian in the field after the cut, was T53 13 shots over par, three shots behind Ganjee who finished in a share of 39^th place.

Gangjee’s second win on the tour came almost exactly 14 years after his first, which was at the Volkswaen Masters, China, in 2004. It is an indicator of the longevity of his career that the 2004 finish was ahead of the likes of Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo.

Worthwhile win

The result at the Panasonic last year earned Ganjee a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour and also on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) where he has regular playing opportunities now, the Asian Tour said.

Meanwhile, Asaji held his nerve to win by one shot at the Sobu Country Club on Sunday.

With his mother and wife in attendance through Sunday, Asaji, who earned his spot by topping Monday Qualifiers, held on to his overnight lead to eventually close with a one-over-par 72 ahead of American Micah Lauren Shin.

Asaji’s winning total of three-under-par 281 also earned him a spot at The 148^th Open which will be held at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland in July.

Shin mounted a late charge but dropped three shots in his inward-nine and had to settle for a share of second place with Japanese amateur Ren Yonezawa.

New Zealand’s Danzel Ieremia and Korea’s Y.E. Yang were tied for fourth while Zimbabwean Scott Vincent shared sixth place with Korea’s Dongkyu Jang.

The Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup was the Asian Tour’s first stop in Japan this season and second of four co-sanctioned events with the JGTO this year.

Also read: Aman Raj makes cut in Korea, Khalin Joshi going well at Volvo China Open