Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman just missed his second straight victory at the Delhi Golf Club, finishing second at the season-opening SAIL-SBI Open after losing the first play-off hole to India’s Rashid Khan on Saturday. After Siddik and Khan finished Saturday’s final round level at 18-under – six strokes ahead of Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg in third – they returned to the par-five 18th for a one-hole play-off. The Bangladeshi failed to birdie the hole for the first time all week, missing his birdie putt, and Khan sank his tap-in to claim a home course victory in a tournament he led after every round.
‘It was a good play-off,’ Siddik said after the tournament.
‘I played my game, but maybe I should have played driver. I used my three wood, which wasn’t sufficient, although I have used three wood in the first four rounds and made birdie every day. But it wasn’t the case in the play-off.’
Siddik had a one stroke lead going into the final two holes of the fourth round, but the 23-year-old Khan made two birdies to Siddik’s one to force the play-off.
The extra hole capped a gruelling day, in which the leaders also had to complete most of the third round after lightning suspended play on Friday. Siddik completed his third straight round of 67 in the morning before beginning his final round at 15-under, still two shot behind Khan.
Siddik, who won the Hero Indian Open at this course in November and finished fourth in the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit last season, was gracious in defeat.
‘Rashid deserves the win. He’s a talented player. I saw his game and he’s a really good player,’ said Siddik, who won $33,000 for second place. Khan received $54,000 for his victory.
The Bangladeshi golfer also said that his performance would help him in this month’s inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia, where he will represent Team Asia.
‘It’s my first event of the 2014 season. I have played twice in the Indian circuit the past few weeks and I think it’ll help me in the EurAsia Cup. The way I’m hitting the ball now, I’m quite happy. My short game is going good and I hope to help Team Asia.’
‘I also made some mistakes, couldn’t hole my putts from 10 feet. Missed some chances and if I had holed some, I could have won. But it’s okay, there has to be a winner and a loser.’
-With New Age input
