Jeev joint second at Okinawa Open

Overnight leader Jeev Milkha singh squandered a four-stroke lead and a golden chance of winning his maiden Japanese PGA Tour title when he carded a two-over 73 in the final round to finish joint second in the 100 million yen Asia Japan Okinawa Open Golf Championship today.

The top Indian golfer ended up just one stroke short of the eventual winner Kiyoshi Miyazato of Japan with a tournament tally of 13-under 271. Jeev, who shared the second place along with five others, earned yen 5,416,666 for his effort, according to information received here. Local hero Miyazato fired a superb seven-under 64 to pocket the winner’s cheque of 20 million yen with an aggregate of 14-under 270 in the tournament played at the par-71 Naha Golf Club.

Jeev’s final round started with a bogey but the 32-year-old made up with birdies on the fourth and sixth to make the turn at one-under. However, the very first hole of his return journey, the par-5 tenth, witnessed Jeev take five strokes to get to the green followed by a double bogey. The Chandigarh pro then went on to drop another shot on the 16th but made up with a birdie on the 17th.