Gaurav Ghei started his final day with an eagle-two and rounded it off with a 40-footer for birdie to compile a record-equalling round of eight-under 64 that carried him from 50th to a tied sixth place at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket on Sunday.
Ghei's performance at the demanding Blue Canyon Country Club course was his best finish in the year so far. The overall honours went to 20-year-old Anton Haig (71), who won a three-way play-off to become the youngest winner of the event, erasing the name of Tiger Woods, who was 22 when he won the event in 1998, from the books.
Ghei, winner of the Mercuries Masters last year, shot six birdies and an eagle in a flawless round, with the next best for the day being a five-under 67 by Mike Weir, who ended fifth, one spot ahead of Ghei.
"I shot a 63 at Hong Kong Golf Club a few years back. To shoot a 64 at a course like Blue Canyon and to tie the record on the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic is fantastic," said Ghei.
Haig, winner of Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters last year, claimed the biggest cheque of his career (US $409,000) besides an exemption on the European Tour till the end of 2009.
Among the other Indians, Jeev Milkha Singh (74), the best placed after the third round at tied 11th, was done in by a bad back nine, where he shot three bogeys and a double in the last six holes to finish tied 25th at four-under 284.
