Porsche Singapore Classic: Svensson beats Kiradech on third play-off hole, seals maiden win on DP World Tour
- Jesper Svensson fires nine-under-par 63 to continue stellar start to his rookie season
- Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s 64 gets him alongside Swede at 17 under, and Thai says he feels ready to win again
Jesper Svensson beat Kiradech Aphibarnrat on the third play-off hole to win the Porsche Singapore Classic on Sunday, sealing a maiden DP World Tour win and continuing a stellar start to his rookie season.
The Swede produced the round of his life to get into contention, starting off birdie, birdie, eagle on the way to firing a course record-equalling nine-under-par 63 at Laguna National Golf Resort Club, to rocket into the lead in the final round as other challengers came and went.
In the end his Thai rival was the only one who could stay with him, and even then Kiradech needed a monster putt for a par on 17 and an eagle at the par-5 18th for a 64 to join Svensson on 17 under.
Both men made a birdie on the first trip up the last and then exchanged a pair of pars, before the 34-year-old Kiradech went over the back of the 18th green and made a bogey, leaving Svensson two putts for a par and victory.
Having won on the Challenger Tour last year, Svensson has gone close twice already this season, finishing in a tie for second in South Africa and Bahrain. He called Sunday’s win “unreal”.
“It hasn’t really settled in yet,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s been close a couple times, on the Challenge Tour last year as well, just came short. And then this year obviously two tournaments were coming up short.
“It’s been a long journey. To win on my first season out here, I couldn’t have dreamed of it … and to achieve it feels amazing.”
After an up-and-down start to the season, Kiradech said he finally felt as though “I’m back to where I was”, and could finally start thinking about winning again, be it on the European circuit or Asian Tour.
England’s Sam Bairstow was alone in third after shooting a fourth consecutive 68 to finish at 16 under, one shot clear of countryman Andy Sullivan, who set the course record on Friday, and two ahead of Frenchman Matthieu Pavon.
Like Kiradech, Paul Casey needed a sponsor’s invite to play in Singapore, and his final round of 69 left him 13 under and in sixth, largely making a mockery of his Official Golf World Ranking of 832nd.
Overnight leader David Micheluzzi fell away with a one-over 73 to finish a shot further back.
Taichi Kho, meanwhile, shot a two-under 70 to get himself back to even par for the tournament and a tie for 65th. The Hongkonger, who started on the 10th hole, had a bogey-free closing nine and the only blemish on his card was a double-bogey on the par-3 17th.
Sunday’s round was the second Kho managed under par over the course of the week, and the 23-year-old, who has already won on the Asian Tour, acknowledged it had been a tough few days.
“It’s a hard competition and I feel like just me being here helps my game a lot,” Kho said. “I’ve been improving and it was a good week. Just a bit of course management mistakes for the first few days, but I felt like I managed it better today.
“I just have to sharpen up pretty much every part of the game, but that’s golf. I’m looking forward to getting a whole lot better.”
Despite some recent issues with his game, Kho said he did not feel the need to make “any drastic changes”
“It’s just a good reminder that course management is really important,” he said. “But it gives me good clarity so going forward I’m confident that I can make the right adjustments.”
