Shiv Kapur ends 17th, Bhullar way behind in Morocco

A disappointing final round performance cost Shiv Kapur the chance of a top-10 place as the Indian golfer finished at tied 17th spot at the Trophee Hassan II golf tournament here.

Kapur, who was ideally placed at fourth place after the third round, seemed well on road to a fine finish as he began birdie-birdie, but the front nine of the tricky Golf du Palais Royal hit back as he bogeyed the third, fourth and seventh.

On the back nine, the Indian birdied the 10th and the 16th, but had bogeys on 14th and 15th to finish with a round of 73 and a total of seven-under 281 in tied 17th place. It was the second straight top-20 finish for Kapur after a tied 15th at Tshwane Open in South Africa.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (77) continued his downward slide after a brilliant start in first round. The 26-year-old Indian, who has five Asian Tour wins, and is playing in his rookie year, opened with a 67 and then followed with 73, 74 and finally 77 which had a double bogey and a triple bogey for the second day in a row.

Bhullar had three other bogeys, but also had three birdies between 11th and 14th and ended in tied 60th place.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Cañizares completed a comprehensive wire-to-wire victory to end an eight-year wait for a second European Tour title.

Just as Marcel Siem did 12 months ago in Agadir, Cañizares led from the front with an opening 62 and completed a five shot win with a closing round of 70.

That gave the Spaniard a 19-under par total with England's Andy Sullivan storming home in 29 shots for a best-of-the-day 63 to claim second place.

Cañizares won only his third European Tour start at the 2006 Russian Open, but has had to wait 199 events for his second win - during which time he has been a runner-up four times.

Victory completes an impressive run of results for the 31-year-old, who has not missed a cut since September. That run that now stretches to 16 tournaments, and includes three other top-ten finishes.

Cañizares' father Jose Maria won five times on The European Tour.

Cañizares would have won by a greater margin had it not been for a stroke of bad luck on the 18th, where his approach rolled back off the green and came to rest up against a clump of turf from a divot.

The World Number 141 could only advance the ball a few yards with his third shot, before it again rolled back down the slope almost to his feet.

From there, he fluffed his next pitch but at least\ allowed himself a wry smile, before eventually getting up and down for a double-bogey six.

In contrast, Sullivan finished with four consecutive birdies to record the highest finish of his fledgling European Tour career.

Sullivan's compatriot Seve Benson birdied the 18th to claim a share of third place on 12-under with Sweden's Magnus A Carlsson, who had completed a 68 by holing from off the green on the last for par after a left-handed escape shot from the trees.