Ghei finish tied 58th in BMW Asian Open, Jacquelin wins

Shanghai, Apr 22 (UNI) Gaurav Ghei carded a horrendous five-over 77 to finish 58th in a wet and wild final round where all the top three came up with over-par performances in the 2.3 million dollar BMW Asian Open here today.

Overnight at 53rd, Ghei failed to come up with a single birdie against a bagful of bogies -- as many as five.

Atop the leaderboard, Frenchmen Raphael Jacquelin, who wanted to be a footballer until a knee injury at the age of 13 forced him to switch to golf, held of a spirited challenge from Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen to win Asian Open.

Ghei was the lone Indian left in the fray after four of his compatriots failed to make the cut at the co-sponsored Asian and European Tour event.

But the Delhi-based Ghei was not the only one who found it difficult to master the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club course as leaderboard topper Jacquelin and second placed Soren also played identical round of one-over 73s.

Third placed Scott Hend was marginally worse at three-over 75.

Jacquelin ended with a ten-over 278, followed by Soren's eight-under 280.

Meanwhile, South African Ernie Els who was among the few to enjoy an even-par round, surged to tied 5th spot from tied 11th yesterday.

UNI