Date:20/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/20/stories/2004122005371800.htm

Sport - Golf

Jeev finishes joint second

NAHA (JAPAN), DEC. 19. Star Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, who went into the final round with a four-stroke lead, missed out on winning his maiden Japanese PGA Tour title by a solitary stroke at the 100 million yen 2004 Asia Japan Okinawa Open played at the par-71 Naha Golf Club this week.

Jeev, who finished with a tournament tally of 13-under 271, finished tied second along with five others and earned 5,416,666 yen for his effort. Local hero Kiyoshi Miyazato fired a superb seven-under 64 to pocket the winner's cheque of 20 million yen at a tournament aggregate of 14-under 270. Jeev's final round of two-over 73, started with a bogey. The 32-year old however, made up with birdies on the fourth and sixth to make the turn at one-under. The very first hole of his return journey, the par-5 tenth, witnessed Jeev take five strokes to get to the green. A double bogey followed.

Thereafter the Chandigarh based golfer went on to drop another shot on the 16th but made up with a birdie on the 17th. Jeev dropped another shot on the 18th, his closing hole.

The scores: 1. K. Miyazato (68, 70, 68, 64; 270); 2. C. Wi (65, 69, 69, 68; 271), M. Osanai (68, 70, 66, 67; 271), H. Kase (68, 68, 66, 69; 271), M. Kuramoto (68, 69, 67, 67; 271), Jeev Milkha Singh (67, 62, 69, 73; 271), S. Barr (67, 68, 68, 68; 271); J.D. Kim (67, 72, 65, 68; 272), S. Laycock (69, 67, 68, 68; 272), K. Tomori (71, 68, 66, 67; 272), K. Yokoo (71, 66, 69, 66; 272). — UNI