Jyoti ends Open on a high

Jyoti and his caddie Bunty, who started the week with minimum expectations, will undoubtedly head back with a lot of experience and determination to play major championships more frequently.

Undoubtedly a winning player-caddie partnership 8212; one that also resulted in Jyoti becoming the first Indian to win on the Japanese tour in 2003.

Cousin Bunty assisted Jyoti en route to a level-par score on the weekend with rounds of 70 and 72, and one that saw him tie for 30th place, even though the final results would only be known after the entire field had completed and the winner was declared.

Starting the round with a bogey on the par-four second hole, the Randhawa team bounced back with birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to make the turn at one-under-par for the day. However, dropped strokes on the 10th and 12th holes, followed by pars till the last, resulted in a total of one-over-par 72 for the day.

With 49 pars, 11 birides, ten bogeys and two double bogies this week, Randhawa played consistently to finish with a total score of three-over-par 287 for the championship.

Jyoti8217;s success also reflects the promise in Asia and an even better example was overnight leader Todd Hamilton, who led the field after three rounds and maintained his composure throughout his round yesterday.

A three-time winner on the Japanese tour last season, he is a likely contender, alongside the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickleson 8211; all lurking dangerously close.