India’s Rahil Gangjee ended a 14-year barren run by closing with a three-under-par 68 for a one-shot victory over Korea’s Hyungsung Kim and Junggon Hwang at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship.
The 39-year-old Gangjee got up and down from a greenside bunker at the last hole, nailing a decisive birdie from inside 10 feet to claim victory with a total of 14-under-par 270 at the Ibaraki Country Club in Osaka. The JP¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,370,000) event is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).
Gangjee admitted he had self-doubts after not being able to enjoy much success since his first Asian Tour win in China in 2004.
“It has been a very hard 14 years and the thing that surprises even myself is my will to keep going. Everyone will play their part in helping you out; the caddie, the mother, the father, the wife, friends. But more than anything else, you have to want it … and that has kept me going,” said Gangjee, who earned two-year winners’ exemptions on both the Asian Tour and JGTO.
“My heart rate was up especially when I got to the green and I knew I had to get up and down! My third shot out of the bunker was not really a tough shot but under the pressure it could have been a very tough one. But somehow I was calm. My bunker play is one of the strongest aspects of my game,” he added.
Gangjee has had several close finishes in recent years, most notably at the 2014 Panasonic Open India when he lost a playoff to compatriot SSP Chawrasia. He paid tribute to his fellow players and friends on tour.
“Having mates on tour supporting you is a big thing as golf is a very competitive sport. It is an individual sport and you need friends to help you through the bad times. This win will sink in. When you do not deliver after so many times, you start to doubt yourself And when you finally deliver, it’s a very big thing,” said Gangjee.
Zimbabwean Scott Vincent continued to knock on the winner’s door when he signed off with a 66 to finish in a share of fourth place that also included Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan and Sihwan Kim of the United States. Although India’s Shiv Kapur closed with a 75, it was enough to win the Panasonic Swing series where he earned the top bonus prize of US$70,000 and an exemption into an event on the European Tour this year.
Malaysia’s Ben Leong continued his resurgence with a T10 finish on nine-under-par after a closing 69, while compatriot Nichoals Fung shot a superb 66 to lie in T14 place a shot further back.
Results:
270 – Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 69-65-68-68.
271 – Junggon HWANG (KOR) 71-67-67-66, Hyungsung KIM (KOR) 66-68-67-70.
274 – Sanghee LEE (KOR) 66-73-70-65, Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 73-67-68-66, Shugo IMAHIRA (JPN) 72-68-68-66, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 66-70-71-67, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 70-67-70-67, Sihwan KIM (USA) 70-67-68-69.
275 – Yuki INAMORI (JPN) 69-69-71-66, Ben LEONG (MAS) 67-67-72-69, Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND) 69-69-68-69, Rikuya HOSHINO (JPN) 64-68-73-70.
276 – Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 69-72-69-66, Toshinori MUTO (JPN) 70-68-70-68, Kyungnam KANG (KOR) 68-73-67-68, Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 70-68-68-70, Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 73-68-65-70, Shingo KATAYAMA (JPN) 64-70-70-72.
