India’s Himmat Rai claimed an enthralling five-way playoff victory with a glorious 25-foot birdie putt on the sixth extra hole at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic yesterday.
Rai, 24, was one of five players who tied on nine-under-par 271 in regulation play, the largest number of competitors in a playoff in Asian Tour history.
Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, South African Tjaart Van der Walt and Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva all bowed out on the second extra hole, leaving Rai to battle it out with Filipino Elmer Salvador at the Orchid Country Club.
The two were in a toe-to-toe battle until Salvador — who had only stayed in the contest with a monster 50-footer at the second extra hole — finally succumbed in fading light.
“I can’t believe that I’ve pulled it off,” said Rai, who picked up US$47,550 for his maiden Asian Tour title. “The playoff was splendid. This is immense. That putt, sometimes when you’re under pressure, you tend to rush it, but I thought if I don’t close it, the game would go otherwise. I just knew I had to close it soon before things got out of hand. I hit a solid putt. I was lucky it went in.”
Rai had posted a one-over-par final round of 71, a double-bogey on the 13th threatening to prove costly until he fought back with birdies on 15 and 16.
Runner-up Salvador, 41, closed with a final round 66 and took his cap off to India’s newest champion.
“I didn’t expect Himmat to hole his putt at the last hole as it was a long one,” he said after collecting US$19,485. “It’s my first year on Tour and I didn’t expect much from myself this week, but I’m happy with how I played.”
Da Silva (71) was long the tournament leader, but had a double bogey on the 15th, while Van der Valk (66) had a three-foot par putt for the tournament on the 18th in regulation, but missed, setting the scene for the multiheaded playoff.
“I had my chances,” the Dutchman said. “The 18th in regulation was my chance. I should have done it there. I just pushed my putt and it broke left to right. I didn’t do too much wrong. That’s the way it is.”
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