Kahlon is No 2 in APGA
Order of Merit

Harmeet Kahlon's sensational victory at the Hero Honda Masters 2002, which concluded at the Arnold Palmer-designed DLF Golf & Country Club on Sunday, February 17, catapulted him to the second place in the Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit.

Kahlon shot seven-under 277 for four days at the US$-300,000 event and won $-48,450 - the biggest prize-money cheque of his three-year professional career.

The 31-year-old Chandigarh pro was placed 29th after the London Myanmar Open, the second tournament of the Asian PGA season.

However, he is now in second place behind the current leader, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand.

Jaidee won the $-200,000 London Myanmar Open and played well in the season-opening Johnnie Walker Classic. However, he could not take part in the Hero Honda Masters because of a visa problem.

"The immediate difference this win will make is to my bank balance," quipped Kahlon after winning the Hero Honda Masters 2002. "It also helps open several avenues for me to explore, including experimenting with Qualifying Schools of other Tours," he added.

Kahlon's earning after three events is $-50,490, while Jaidee has made $-55,474 so far.

Among the other Indians, Arjun Atwal was in eighth place with earnings of $-23,158, Jyoti Randhawa was 12th at $-12,056, while Gaurav Ghei was tied for the 19th place at $-6,065. Atwal finished tied for the fifth place at the Hero Honda Masters 2002, Randhawa 15th, while Ghei finished in equal ninth position.

The Asian PGA Tour next moves to the Caltex Singapore Masters, a joint sanctioned event with the European Tour. The Indians expected to play there include Kahlon, Atwal, Randhawa, Ghei, Vivek Bhandari, Arjun Singh, Amandeep Johl and Jeev Milkha Singh.