Shiv Kapur tees off during the final round of the Indonesian Open in Jakarta on Sunday

Jakarta: Shiv Kapur came agonisingly close to his maiden European Tour title as a stroke of misfortune saw him fall one short to finish tied second at the Jakarta Astro Indonesian Open golf tournament here on Sunday.

On a day interrupted by storm and lightning, Kapur starting his final round four shots behind the leader, made a great charge and shot the day’s second best card of 67, but still came one short behind winner Miko Ilonen (71) of Finland.

It was still his best-ever finish on European Tour, bettering his seventh place last year in the event co-sanctioned between Asian and European Tours.

Kapur made a great charge down the back nine with three-birdies in four holes between 11th and 14th, but what finally sealed his fate was a missed birdie putt from three feet on the 16th. Then on the par-5 17th, his third shot from the fairway hit the flagstick and bounced off the green into the right rough.

Kapur got his par with a fine up-and-down, but a birdie could have got him into play-off with Ilonen.

“I am pleased with the way I played out there but for one unlucky break (17th) but that’s part of the game and you have to accept that,” said Kapur, who had a big Indian contingent following him.

“It was great to have a big Indian contingent following me. It was a big support. It was a week of what could have been, but I have to look ahead,” said Kapur.

“Still it feels good to be in contention. I had some good rounds in Abu Dhabi, where I was in contention on final day, and in Qatar, but I missed a few putts,” added Kapur.

Ilonen, a first-time winner, ended with a total of nine-under 275, while Kapur (67), Frankie Minoza (71) and Andrew Tampion (69) tied for second at 276.

“It feels amazing,” Ilonen, the first Finn to record a victory on the European tour, said later. “It’s been a really long week and now it’s finished.”

Ilonen tied for seventh at last week's Malaysian Open and, after spending all four rounds of the weather-affected event in Jakarta in the top two, said he was playing some of the best golf of his life.

“This week, everything went right,” he said. “The lightning delay helped and I was swinging better when we came back out. It all went really well for me.”

Thailand’s Thammanoon Srirot and South Korea’s Suk Jong-yul finished in a tie for fifth place on five-under 279.

Defending champion Simon Dyson of Britain finished in a tie for 11th place on two-under for the tournament.

Of India’s other challengers, Gaurav Ghei had a good closing day with a 68 that saw him jump from overnight 50th to tied 23rd at even par 284 and S.S.P. Chowrasia (73) was tied 33rd at one-over 285.

On Saturday, when play ended early, Kapur was the club house leader at four-under, though four other players had better scores with some more holes to play.

Minoza and Ilonen finished third round in joint lead at eight-under this morning. Minoza finished his third round in 66 and Ilonen closed with a birdie for a 71. Suk was third at seven-under. Kapur was four-under when fourth round began.

Kapur opened with a birdie on first and then added a second on fifth. A missed par putt on sixth dropped him one back. When lightning storm stopped play for an hour and 15 minutes, Kapur was one-under through nine holes.

But it was on the back nine that he was on fire. He birdied the 11th, 13th and 14th and came into contention. He drilled a neat par on 15th and put himself up for another birdie on 16th.

But he stroked to the left and the putt slid past slightly and all he got was a par. On the next his third shot hit the flagstick and bounced off the green. He did get a par, but a birdie was what he could easily have had. He sank a steady par from eight feet on 18th and logged his best finish of the season.

Ghei had four birdies, three in a row on back stretch, which was the first nine for him, and with only one bogey, he carded a 68. Chowrasia had two birdies and three bogeys in his 73.

(Agencies)