NEWS:ENGLAND'S ROBERT Coles just failed to earn his first European Tour victory as India's SSP Chowrasia held on for a narrow victory in the Avantha Masters in New Delhi.
Chowrasia secured a home win as he edged out Coles by one shot in an exciting finish, the Indian shooting a final round of 67 to finish on 15 under par at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
Seven birdies in his first 14 holes had put Chowrasia in charge against third-round leader Coles but with four holes to go the Englishman was back level and his approach to eight feet at the 15th looked to set him on course for a maiden European Tour win.
Coles failed to take that chance and an even easier one on the 17th and was made to pay the price on the last. A perfect tee shot and a second into greenside rough put him in a good position but his chip from a downhill lie went 20 feet past the hole.
He over-hit the putt which could have landed him the tournament win and an eight-foot return was also missed so the chance to force a play-off was gone too.
Coles admitted to his disappointment after failing to take the chance to break his tournament duck. “It is obviously disappointing but I don’t feel too bad right now,” he said. “I will probably feel a lot worse tomorrow when it sinks in.”
Gareth Maybin finished nine shots off the pace after a final round of 70.
Pádraig Harrington shot a final round of 72 to finish on two-over-par 286 at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles well off the pace being set by Australia’s Aaron Baddely who led by three strokes with seven holes to play.
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