Swede Kokocinski clinches maiden Asia Tour title in Dhaka

Sweden’sMalcolm Kokocinski secured his maiden Asian Tour title when he firedsix-under-par 65 in the final round to win the AB Bank Bangladesh Openby three shots in Dhaka yesterday.Kokocinski overturned a three-shotdeficit from the third round to cap a winning total of 14-under-par 270at the Kurmitola Golf Club. The 26-year-old Swede takes home awinner’s purse of $54,000 in the $300,000 event courtesy of hisbreakthrough victory on the Asian Tour.Kokocinski has become thethird consecutive first-time winner at the Bangladesh Open, followingThailand’s Thitiphun Chuayprakong and Jazz Janewattananond in 2016 and2017 respectively.The Thailand-based golfer is the second Swede towin in three weeks on the Asian Tour, following Alexander Bjork at theVolvo China Open.“This win means a lot to me. I don’t have a statuson the Asian Tour before this week. So I am really pleased with how Iplayed here”, Kokocinski said in comments published on the tournament’sofficial website.“I have been playing well the last couple ofmonths. I knew my game was good so I just had to stick to my game planand hit some good shots coming down the stretch.“I stayed patient out there. I was playing well all week so I knew a good round will come sooner or later,” he added.England’sJack Harrison, who led the event after the third round, endured twoclosing bogeys for a 71 on the final day to settle for a share of secondplace with New Zealand’s Ben Campbell with an overall score of 11-under par 273. “Ican’t complain with a tied-second place finish in my first start on theAsian Tour. A little bit disappointed for not getting the win but thereis always a winner and a loser. Overall, it was a great week and I amvery happy,” said Harrison.American John Catlin shared third placewith Zamal Hossain Mollah, who emerged as the highest-ranked localplayer, after finishing on nine-under-par 275.