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Swede Kokocinski wins maiden Asia Tour title in Dhaka

Sweden's Malcolm Kokocinski secured his maiden Asian Tour title when he fired six-under-par 65 in the final round to win the AB Bank Bangladesh Open by three shots in Dhaka on Saturday.

This handout photo taken and released on May 11, 2018, by the Asian Tour shows Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden with the winner’s trophy after round four of the Bangladesh Open golf tournament at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka. Paul LAKATOS / ASIAN TOUR / AFP

Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski secured his maiden Asian Tour title when he fired six-under-par 65 in the final round to win the AB Bank Bangladesh Open by three shots in Dhaka on Saturday.

Kokocinski overturned a three-shot deficit from the third round to cap a winning total of 14-under-par 270 at the Kurmitola Golf Club.

The 26-year-old Swede takes home a winner’s purse of $54,000 in the $300,000 event courtesy of his breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour.

Kokocinski has become the third consecutive first-time winner at the Bangladesh Open, following Thailand’s Thitiphun Chuayprakong and Jazz Janewattananond in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The Thailand-based golfer is the second Swede to win in three weeks on the Asian Tour, following Alexander Bjork at the Volvo China Open.

“This win means a lot to me. I don’t have a status on the Asian Tour before this week. So I am really pleased with how I played here”, Kokocinski said in comments published on the tournament’s official website.

“I have been playing well the last couple of months. I knew my game was good so I just had to stick to my game plan and 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’s Jack Harrison, who led the event after the third round, endured two closing bogeys for a 71 on the final day to settle for a share of second place with New Zealand’s Ben Campbell with an overall score of 11-under par 273.

“I can’t complain with a tied-second place finish in my first start on the Asian Tour. A little bit disappointed for not getting the win but there is always a winner and a loser. Overall, it was a great week and I am very happy,” said Harrison.

American John Catlin shared third place with Zamal Hossain Mollah, who emerged as the highest-ranked local player, after finishing on nine-under-par 275.

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