Despite carding a bogey at the last, Rai signed for a closing 69 to finish on 17 under par and open the 2019 Race to Dubai campaign with a stunning wire-to-wire victory in just his 46th European Tour appearance.
“It’s incredible,” said Rai, who was joint leader after the first round and then took the outright lead for good thanks to his course-record nine-under 61 on Friday. Rai, who has won three times on the Challenge Tour, picked up the winner’s cheque for US$333,330 in 2018 HONMA Hong Kong Open.
Fitzpatrick’s sensational 64 saw him finish alone in second on 16 under, with Challenge Tour graduate Victor Perez and Australian Jason Scrivener five shots further back in a tie for third place. Scot David Drysdale was on his own in fifth after Sunday’s 66, while India’s Shubhankar Sharma and Spanish pair Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello were another stroke back in a share of sixth.
