Jaglan finishes T11; Nakajima wins Asia Pacific crown

By a Correspondent

Shubham Jaglan who flew in late from the United States and played the 12^th Asia Pacific Amateur Championship without a practice round finished T11 at the event on Saturday.

Following rounds of 70-68-69, he added a 69 to finish 8-under, after dropping two shots on the back nine at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.

The display, that included four sub-par rounds was the third-best by an Indian at the AAC after Rayhan Thomas’ T-2 in 2018 and Khalin Joshi’s T-9 in 2010.

Jaglan had four birdies but also missed a lot of putts that led to his two dropped shots on the day.

Pre-event favourite and world no. 1 amateur Keita Nakajima of Japan, was taken into a play-off by Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, who set the target of 14-under with a final round 65.

Nakajima, despite not being able to find birdies in his last three holes, also finished at 14-under.

Rich reward

Nakajima earned himself a berth at the 2022 Masters and the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews by winning the play-off on the second extra hole over Kho, who turns 21 next Saturday.

Apart from Jaglan, Milind Soni (76), who was indisposed before the start, did well to last four days. But he crumbled at the end with a bogey-triple bogey finish and was T41. 

Akshay Neranjan (76) closed with a double bogey at the end to be T45.  Rohan Dhole Patil, Arjun Gupta, Arkesh Bhatia and Aryan Roopa Anand missed the cut.

Jaglan at one point looked good for a top-five berth as he was 3-under through 10 holes.

He said, “My game was really good for the first few holes. I was hitting it really close and gave myself a lot of good chances.

“So, I worked it to 3-under par through 10 but it was also frustrating because though I was giving myself a lot of good chances, I didn’t convert many putts.

“After a bogey on 13, I had a good look at 14 and did not make it – it was only six feet. And I three-putted 17 as well. Yet overall, I am happy.”

Plenty of positives

Jaglan added, “I will take the positives. It was a great week. I had a lot of fun playing with Jin Bo of China and Choi Wooyoung from Korea. I had some great conversations with them.

“This is the biggest tournament I’ve played in my career, and I’m very happy with the way I played and I felt calm throughout the four rounds.

“I expected to be more nervous, to be honest. I hit some really good shots. Met some cool people. So I can’t really ask for much more.

Hong Kong’s Kho (65), T5 overnight turned in a six-hole run with five birdies between ninth and 14 to set the target of 14-under.

Nakajima, who held a one-shot lead over two-time champion Yuxin Lin (71), also had a four-shot lead over Kho, who was not in the picture till the back nine.

Setback

Nakajima birdied three times in the first five holes and seemed to be running away, but a bogey on six and a double on nine set him back.

He fought back superbly with birdies on 11, 13 and 15 to catch up with Kho.

Kho reached 14-under on 14 but could not find any more birdies. A group behind him in the lead trio, Nakajima birdied 15 to get level but he too was unable to pick up a shot thereafter.

In the play-off, Nakajima, who six weeks ago won a pro event on the Japan Tour, won on the second extra hole.

China’s Jin Bo (68), whose brother won the AAC in 2015, and Korea’s Cho Wooyoung (65) were tied for third.

Defending champion Yuxin Lin gunning for a third title ended T7 after a triple and a double bogey.

Also read: Jaglan in sight of top 10 finish at Asia-Pacific; Japan’s Nakajima leads