Golf: Panuphol Pittayarat seals Indonesia Open victory

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand after winning the Indonesia Open 2017 at the Pondok Indah Golf Club in Jakarta on Oct 29, 2017. PHOTO: AFP/ASIAN TOUR

Jakarta (AFP) - Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat completed a total of 25 holes on Sunday (Oct 30) to secure victory and a US$54,000 (S$73,678) pay cheque in the rain-interrupted Indonesia Open.

The 24-year-old ended with a five-stroke lead and moves up to 14th place in the Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

Panuphol, 24, was leading on Saturday (Oct 29) before the event was suspended due to heavy rain.

He returned Sunday morning to finish the remaining seven holes from his third round, finishing with a five-under par 67 to lead by three shots heading into the final round.

Panuphol traded three birdies against a bogey for an outward 34, grabbing just a one-shot edge over compatriot Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, who closed in with four birdies, at the turn.

But Panuphol pulled ahead with three straight birdies from the 10th hole before adding two more birdies in his final five holes for a final-round 65 and a total of 23-under par 265 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

"I tried to play every hole the same way and not think about the result and it works!" he said in comments supplied by the Asian Tour.

"I will keep that mentality going into the next couple of tournaments."

Tirawat Kaewsiribandit ended in second with a second straight 67 but said he was pleased with his overall display.

"I am very happy. I know Panuphol is a very good player so I just played my own game and I tried my best. My putting on my back nine was not very good, but overall, I did well," he said.

Fellow Thai golfers Jazz Janewattananond and Namchok Tantipokhakul, shared third place on 273 following respective rounds of 67 and 69.

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