Atwal, however, had no such worry. After rounds of 70, 68 and 68, he seemed to have reserved his best for the final day and the lone dropped shot on the third hole was the only blot in an otherwise perfect card of the Indian who hardly put a foot wrong today.

Atwal got off to a birdie-birdie start and though the third hole bogey snapped the streak, he looked simply irresistible.

Birdie binge

A spectacular birdie binge — he blasted nine of them in his round — catapulted Atwal to the top of the leaderboard and the lightning and storm that hit the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club resulting in a two-and-half hours’ delay could not snap his rhythm.

“It is an amazing feeling,” a beaming Atwal said after the round. “I don’t know how to put it into words. To come here and win this title twice now is incredible. In the play-off I thought Peter was in trouble off the tee but he played an amazing recovery and that put the pressure on me,” he said.

“I didn’t think I had a chance starting out and just relaxed from the first hole. It was only on the 11th that I felt I had a chance. It is incredible,” he said.

“It was a good defence,” said Hedblom. “You are never happy when you lose and I thought I had a good chance to win. I am proud of myself.”

Briton Simon Dyson carded a three-under 69 on the final day to share third place with Australian Kane Webber (65) on 271, with Italian Francesco Molinari alone at 272 after his 65.

... contd.