Thomas Aiken In The Bag: Avantha Masters Winning Clubs
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Thomas Aiken claimed his second European Tour title thanks to 46 bogey-free holes in the Avantha Masters in India.
The South African held a three-shot lead going into the final day and was never caught, even though playing partner Liang Wenchong carded a hole-in-one on his way to finishing five shots back in third.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, looking to claim a popular home victory at the Jaypee Greens Golf Club he represents, twice got within two shots of the lead, eventually finishing three back in second.
But Aiken’s closing 67 to finish on 23-under-par was enough to collect the first prize of £260,000 and make it an eighth South African victory of the season.
The 29-year-old said: “They just kept coming at me today. I tried my best to get a little bit of a lead but couldn’t get it going, everyone was holing everything; Liang on the front nine and Bhullar made some amazing birdies coming in. By no means was it a walk in the park. Finally I can have a bit of a breather.
“I have been playing very nicely the last four months, making very few mistakes but not sinking enough putts. This week a few went in and I hit some better iron shots and I played phenomenal golf; two bogeys the whole week and overall I am very pleased with the way I played.”
Aiken’s only two bogeys came on the seventh and eighth holes of his second round, meaning he played the last 46 holes without dropping a shot and carded a total of 21 birdies and two eagles during the week.
Although Bhullar began the final round with three birdies and an eagle in the first five holes and Liang was also three-under through five, Aiken crucially kept his nose in front with birdies at the 2nd and 5th.
In the rest of the field, England’s David Horsey shot a final round 67 to finish in a tie for sixth with Scotland’s David Drysdale, while Alvaro Quiros (73) was joint 56th on his first start after a four-month injury lay-off following wrist surgery.
Below is Aiken’s winning bag:
Driver: Cleveland Classic
Irons: Nike VR Pro
Wedges: Titleist SM Vokey & Cleveland Classic 588
Putter: TaylorMade Ghost Series
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Shoe: FootJoy ICON
Clothing: Dunlop
