Indian golfer Saptak Talwar recorded his best overseas finish of the season, ending tied 12th at the English Open on the HotelPlanner Tour. The 27-year-old from India narrowly missed a top-10 finish after a final round of four-under 68 at The Vale Golf Club in Worcester, UK.
Final Round Charge
Talwar began the final day in a share of 24th place at six-under par. He climbed the leaderboard with his strongest round of the tournament, making five birdies against just one bogey. He picked up shots on the second, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 17th holes. A birdie on the closing 18th would have secured a top-10 finish, but he settled for par, finishing at 10-under-par for the week. He ended just one stroke shy of a share of seventh place.
Consistent Performance Throughout the Week
Talwar opened the tournament with a three-under 69, followed by rounds of 71 and 70 to remain in contention heading into the final round. His closing 68 highlighted an encouraging return to form ahead of the coming weeks on the HotelPlanner Tour. This result is his second-best of the season, after finishing runner-up at the DP World PGTI Open in March.
Tournament Winner and Playoff Drama
The English Open was won by American John Catlin, who claimed his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title after a marathon seven-hole playoff against Norway's Kristian Krogh Johannessen. Catlin carded a bogey-free five-under 67 in the final round, while Johannessen fired a flawless six-under 66 to erase a one-shot overnight deficit. The Norwegian birdied the 16th and 17th holes to draw level after Catlin had held a two-shot advantage through 15 holes. Both players parred the 18th to force a playoff and then matched each other with six consecutive pars before Catlin finally rolled in a birdie on the seventh extra hole to seal victory. The win was also the American's fifth National Open title.
Historic Event
The English Open returned to the golfing calendar for the first time in 24 years. It featured a distinguished list of former champions, including Colin Montgomerie, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam, and Darren Clarke. Catlin now adds his name to that illustrious roll of honour. England's Barclay Brown and Sweden's Per Langfors shared third place at 13-under-par, while Germany's Alexander Knappe and American Jhared Hack finished tied fifth at 12-under.
