Adrian Otaegui. Pic: Getty Images; Shubhankar Sharma and SSP Chawrasia. Pic: File
Oct 19: Shubhankar Sharma shot his best score of the week with a 4-under 68 on the final day of the Scottish Championship as he rose by six spots to finish T-37. It was his third sub-par round of the week and he showed more control and confidence than the earlier days as he followed up rounds of 71-72-70 with a 68 to total 7-under 281 at Fairmont, St. Andrews.
Meanwhile, SSP Chawrasia, who opened the week with solid rounds of 69-69 fumbled on the third with 76 before ending the week with 70 and a total of 5-under 283 in T-51st place.
Spaniard Adrian Otaegui who began the week with a 62 ended it with a 63 for his first 72-hole stroke play victory on the European Tour. Otaegui produced a masterclass with five birdies on each side of the Fairmont at St. Andrews against one bogey for 9-under 63 that saw him finish at 23-under and four shots clear of overnight leader Matt Wallace (71).
Though the Indian duo had modest finishes, they looked at the positives as Sharma said, “I have been driving well as this week also showed but need to be more consistent with other parts. I can see the game turning.”
Chawrasia added, “The first two days were great, but my concentration lapsed on the third as I made a few mistakes and the final day was alright, but the scoring should have been better as the courses gave some good scores. I am off to Italy from here and let’s see how it goes. But overall it is good to be back in action after seven months.”
Otaegui’s previous wins came in match play events – the 2017 Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play and the 2018 Belgian Knockout.
Otaegui entered the day four shots behind Wallace but eight birdies in 11 holes from the fifth took him way ahead. The Spaniard, who was second at the English Championship to Andy Sullivan climbed the peak this week in an authoritative manner.
Otaegui said, “I’m very happy to win here in Scotland, the home of golf, next to St Andrews. It feels like a very special win for me. Stroke play is my favourite way of golf, I think it’s the proper way. You have to play very solidly and very consistently all four rounds, which I think I did.”
“I didn’t really (look at the leaderboard). I knew more or less how Matt (Wallace) and I were, but I just tried to do the best I could. If I played my best, I knew I was going to be up there. You can’t control what others are going to do, but I just tried to focus on myself, tried to feel confident and tried to feel good, and that’s what I did.”
Aaron Rai (66), who has finished inside Top-3 in three of his last four events including a win at Scottish Open, made a fair bid for the Scottish double. He shot a bogey free 66 and ended third at 17-under, while the English duo of Garrick Porteous (71) and Chris Paisley (68) were Tied-4th.
Read also:
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