Aguilar wins RI Open

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 02/18/2008 1:33 PM | Headlines

KISS FROM A CADDY: Chile's Felipe Aguilar receives a congratulatory kiss from his caddy, Supriyati, after winning the US$1.2 million Astro Indonesia Open at the Cengkareng Golf Club, in Jakarta on Sunday. (JP/R. Berto Wedhatama)

Third-round overnight leader Felipe Aguilar of Chile created a perfect ending for his initial lead with a closing two-under par 68 to win the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open in a dramatic final round on Sunday.

Aguilar had said he hoped the day would head into a sudden-death play-off, but a bogey made by Jeev Milkha Singh of India in the last shot left the 34-year old Chilean earning the tournament trophy as well as a winner's purse of US$200,000.

The Open was a US$1.2 million co-sanctioned event by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

"I didn't expect him to bogey but you never now how golf is until the ball hits the hole and rests there," Aguilar said after his victory.

"I feel awesome. This is one of the things that I wanted to do when I decided to start playing golf again.

"Hopefully there is more of this to come."

Aguilar has won more than 30 tournaments in Chile but broke a bone in his back in 2004 -- an accident that saw him unable to tour for some time.

He said he planned now to spend some weeks with his family before moving on to play in the majors.

"I will try to play in the World Cup," he said.

Runner-up Jeev Milkha Singh said he had no-one but himself to blame for his disappointing loss.

"It was Aguilar's day and not mine today," Singh said.

"It was disappointing for me but I guess that's golf."

Singh said he could have forced a play-off with Aguilar had his closing putt dropped in for a par.

"He deserves this win and I congratulate him."

Singh finished the final round behind Aguilar with a two-shot trail.

His last charge was thanks partly to double eagles in 6th and 11th, but he squandered his chances after he bogeyed his 16th and 18th.

Thailand's Prom Meesawat returned with a 67 to share third place with South Africa's James Kamte, while New Zealand's Mark Brown and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands tied for fifth on 264.

Last year's champ Mikko Ilonen of Finland birdied three holes but missed four to give him one-over-par in the last round, to post a total a four-under-par 276, tied with 2005 winner Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand.

For the first time since 2005, four out of 12 Indonesian golfers made the cut, including Maan Nasim, Suprapto, Ilyasyak and Denny Supriadi. (ind)

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