Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho with his International Series Morocco trophy in Dar Es Salam on Sunday. Image courtesy Asian Tour.
By Rahul Banerji
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho won his first elevated event, outpointing childhood idol Bubba Watson by a stroke at the $2 million International Series Morocco in Dar Es Salam on Sunday.
For Kho, who had just three bogeys in four days on the difficult Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course, it was also a second Asian Tour win, the tour said.
“I was so pumped up on the course. Playing with Bubba is like a dream come true,” said Kho, who added he did not think of the victory until he birdied the last hole.
“I remember watching him win two Masters when I was a little kid. For me to be going neck and neck with him for five hours today, the child inside me was jumping up and down.”
The 25-year-old, who made history by winning Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medal in golf at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, was 4 under par after 10 holes with five birdies to take sole possession of the lead.
Kho, however, struggled thereafter to find the sixth that would have given him breathing space from a chasing pack led by US and LIV Golf star Watson.
That birdie finally came when it was needed most – on the par-5 18th.
Overnight leader and two-time Masters champion Watson (69-66-69-70), who had caught Kho with a birdie from the bunker on hole 17, pulled his second shot from the fairway and could not make his up-and-down from there.
Kho (68-69-68-68) totalled 19 under par for the $360,000 winner’s cheque to go second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit behind Australia’s Travis Smyth, and third in The International Series Ranking.
Soothing balm
It also helped him get over the pain of losing in a playoff on the Japan Golf Tour in the previous week.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (60-74-69-73) was the best-placed Indian at tied 31st on 6 under T31 while Ajeetesh Sandhu (72-70-74-77) and Karandeep Kochhar (72-72-71-78) shared 61st place on 1 over 293s.
Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (69) and Jazz Janewattananond (72) were tied for third on 15 under 277 after a bogey-bogey finish for Suteepat and a closing bogey for Jazz.
Australia’s Elvis Smylie, winner of LIV Golf Riyadh earlier this year, made six birdies in his last seven holes for a 66 to join South Africa’s Ian Snyman (67), Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent (67) and Japan’s Takanori Konishi (71) in tied fifth place on 14 under 278.
“It’s been a long year. It’s had a lot of hardships and a bit of adversity. Through it all, I think I really grew as a person. I realised the work I put in surpasses any results,” said Kho later.
“Golf’s a funny game. It really gives and takes, and very fortunate the last couple of weeks to be on the good side of it.
“I just have a lot of gratitude towards the game itself, the people around me, the people who make it possible.”
Huge high
While winning the title was a massive high for Kho, the fact that he also beat one of his childhood heroes in the process added to the joy.
“I didn’t even think of winning until the last putt dropped!
“Golf is a really psychological game, and I think one thing that I continue to learn is that a lot of thoughts are going to go through your mind, whether they’re good or bad.
“… it’s my ability to be able to play freely and play to my instincts through those thoughts. That is what really made the difference for me.
“My last four-footer winning putt felt like a truly impossible putt. I did not know how it was going to break.
“The putt felt so long, and the hole felt so small, but there was a part of me that knew I had the ability to be free in that situation.
“That’s what really helped me hit a good putt. It’s a real mental battle out there, but I’m really glad to get that done.”
Despite missing out on his first title since the 2018 Travellers Championship, Watson was delighted with his efforts and complimentary of Kho.
“I played great. I played as well as I could. Taichi beat me by one, and it was great to see a young player like that perform so well,” said the 47-year-old LIV Golf captain of the RangeGoats.
“It shows the game of golf is in a great spot, and it was fun to watch how well he played today.
“He actually told me after the round that he used to watch me growing up, so that was pretty special.
Special effort
“I told him he’s a great player. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’s going to have a great career.”
Jazz, champion of the inaugural International Series Morocco in November 2022 but searching for his first win since then, was disappointed with a bogey from the fairway bunker on the last hole that denied him a sole third place.
“I made too many mistakes today. Last hole stung a little bit, because I lost a lot of money on the last hole, but it is what it is, you know. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” said the winner of the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“I think the game is close. The momentum needs to be better. Swing and everything else is on the right track. So, excited to see what I have for the rest of the year.
“My goal for this year is to win more than once, because it’s close. I can feel it, just need a little bit more momentum. I need to learn how to win again, and then once I get it done, I think the second one should be easier.”
International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco ends a three-week stay for Asian Tour in Morocco. It returns for the Yeangder Taiwan Open in September.
Also read: Bubba Watson shares Morocco lead as Lahiri, Garcia miss out
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