Chan’s stunning 62 seals win at Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup

TOKYO: Taiwan’s Chan Shihchang shot a stunning finalround 62 to win the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup by two strokes on Sunday at Osaka’s Ibaraki Country Club.

The 30-year-old’s flawless eight-under-par round saw him finish on 10-under 270 and take the winner’s cheque for $ 294,204, almost double his entire 2016 Asian Tour earnings of $149,453 heading into the tournament.

He was off to a blistering start with birdies at three of the first four holes to turn in 32, before five more on the back nine of his bogey-free round saw him climb from 13th place at the start of the day into the winner’s circle.

Chan had started the day six shots behind the overnight leader Phachara Khongwatmai. But the Thai teenager, who had led since Friday, fell away with four bogeys on his card of two-over 72 to finish in a three-way tie for fourth on six-under.

In second place on eight-under 272 was Japan’s Ippei Koike who carded a one-under 69 to finish a stroke ahead of countryman Kazuhiro Yamashita (68). Leading final scores (par 70): 270 Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 71-68-69-62

272 Ippei Koike ( JPN) 67-67-6969

273 Kazuhiro Yamashita ( JPN) 69-67-69-68

274 Shigo Imahira ( JPN) 65-6974-66, Katsumasa Miyamoto ( JPN) 70- 72- 66- 66, Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 66-67-69-72

275 Hideto Tanihara ( JPN) 67-73-68-67, Daisuke Kataoka ( JPN) 68-69-69-69

276 Ryuko Tokimatsu ( JPN) 69-66-73-68l, Takashi Iwamoto ( JPN) 66-71-71-68, Song Younghan (KOR) 72-68-65-71

277 Nicholas Fung (MAS) 69-6970-69, Liang Wenchong (CHN) 71-69-68-69, Satoshi Kodaira ( JPN) 64-72-70-71