Fernandez-Castano triumphs by 2 shots

TURIN: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano won the Italian Open on yesterday, beating overnight leader Garth Mulroy of South Africa by two shots for his second win in the tournament.
The 31-year-old Spaniard, who was winning his sixth EPGA title and first since Singapore in November last year, shot a superb eight-under-par 64 in the final round to finish on 24 under for the tournament.
Mulroy was level with the winner with two holes remaining but ended up on 22 under par, shooting a final round of 67.
“It felt like match play out there and I’m delighted to have come out on top,” said Fernandez-Castano, who previously won the event in 2007.
“It feels very special to win this tournament again. I knew it would have to be a low round to win today and so it proved. The putts were going in today.”
The pair had fought out a thrilling duel over the majority of the final round after Belgian Ryder Cup debutant Nicolas Colsaerts’ early challenge which saw him briefly hold the lead had petered out.
Mulroy, 34, and with just one win on the EPGA Tour, at the Alfred Dunhill Championship last year, had at one point held a two-shot lead only for the Spaniard to enjoy a purple patch around the turn with four successive birdies to pass him.
However, back came the resilient South African as he rattled off three birdies of his own from the 12th-14th, which his opponent was only able to reply with two of his own.
Mulroy’s nerve, though, failed him when it came to the business end of the round as he bogeyed the 17th while Fernandez-Castano parred it and then on the par five 18th the South African could only par it while his rival birdied.
Bhullar takes lead in Taiwan
In Taipei, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar had two closing birdies to thank for giving him the second-round lead when play finally resumed at the weather-shortened Yeangder Tournament Players Championship yesterday.
The 24-year-old Indian battled to a three-under-par 69 to take a slender advantage over 14-time Asian Tour winner Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand.
Bhullar has compiled a two-day total of nine-under-par 135 at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Taipei.
Thaworn took second place when he signed for the round’s lowest score of 66 to pile the pressure on Bhullar, while Berry Henson and Jason Knutzon of the United States returned with a 68 and 71 respectively to share third.
Starting the day in equal second, Bhullar got off to a commanding start with an opening birdie, followed by an eagle on the fifth hole. He dropped a shot on the seventh before reaching the turn with a three-shot lead over the chasing pack. Bhullar appeared to be cruising after marking his card with another birdie on the 10th hole.
However, a double-bogey six on the 14th led to some anxious moments for the two-time Asian Tour winner.
“I hit it to the right of the woods and laid it up short of the green. The lie was too fluffy and my club just went underneath. I was four-on and then I had like a five-footer to save five but I missed that,” Bhullar told the Asian Tour.
Two birdies on the 17th and 18th holes however changed the complexion of his round.
“Trust me, the last two birdies were definitely much-needed to ease the pressure. I played well today considering the last two days I was just sitting in my room and couldn’t do anything,” said Bhullar, who remains wary of the lurking Thaworn.“The final 18 is going to be interesting as it has been a long time since I last played with Thaworn,” said Bhullar.
Scores after round 2 of the Yeangder TPC (par 72)
135 — Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) 66-69
136 — Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 70-66
137 — Jason Knutzon (USA) 66-71, Berry Henson (USA) 69-68
139 — David Lipsky (USA) 72-67, Marcus Both (AUS) 71-68
140 — Yeh Wei-tze (TPE) 68-72, Gavin Flint (AUS) 70-70, Angelo Que (PHI) 65-75
141 — Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 72-69, Himmat Rai (IND) 71-70, Sung Mao-chang (TPE) 74-67, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 74-67, Mars Pucay (PHI) 72-69, Kim Gi-Whan (KOR) 70-71, Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA) 69-72, Wu Wen-ting (TPE) 74-67