Fort Wayne (Indiana), Sep 14 (IANS) Leading Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri carded one-under 71 to drop four places and finish tied-sixth after the fourth and final round of the $1 million Hotel Fitness Championship at the Sycamore Hills Golf Club here.
Asian Tour leader Lahiri, who was second after posting 69, 65 and 70 in the first three rounds, respectively, on Sunday scored his worst score of the week, a 71, as he didn’t get a good start in the final round of his first tournament at the Web.com Tour Finals — qualifying series for the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour.
The World No.40 got bogeys in the second and third holes and that ripped apart his chances of being in contention. A birdie on the eighth gave him the hope that evaporated with another bogey on the 10th hole.
However, the 28-year-old recovered with three birdies on the 13th, 15th and 18th for a 70. It took the Bengalurean’s total to 13-under 275 — six shots behind champion Henrik Norlander, who shot a course-record 10-under 62 to win by three strokes in a come-from-behind victory.
For the tied sixth-place finish, Lahiri pocketed $34,750.
Norlander began Sunday’s final round six shots off the pace before shooting a bogey-free round that put him at 19-under 269 (69-69-69-62) for the tournament.
South Korea’s D.H. Lee, who started the day with a three-stroke lead, got off to a fast start with birdies on two of the first three holes, but faded down the stretch with three bogeys to post 71 and finish at 16-under 272 in a tie for second.
Michael Thompson carded 65, which propelled him into a tie for second with Lee and likely secured his PGA TOUR card for the next season.
Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata (66) and Sam Saunders (69) finished in a tie for fourth at 14-under 274.
Norlander finished a historic round two shots clear of Lee, who was unable to birdie the final two holes to force a playoff. The win ensures a return trip to the PGA Tour, where Norlander spent a majority of the 2013 season.
For the win, Swede Norlander received $180,000.