Pattaya (Thailand) July 29 (IANS) Defending champion Shiv Kapur of India battled to a final round 71 to share the second place with Australia s Jake McLeod (67) American Kurt Kitayama (67) and Chapchai Nirat of Thailand at the Royal Cup golf tournament here on Sunday.
Nirat finished as the highest ranked local player following a 68 in his final round.
Justin Harding of South Africa cruised to a six-shot victory to become the first player since 2011 to win back-to-back titles on the Asian Tour.
The in-form Harding fired a three-under-par 67 in the final round of the $500 000 Asian Tour event. With a winning total of 14-under-par 266 Harding became the first player to win twice in his first two starts in Asia.
The 32-year-old won the Indonesia Open two weeks ago and took home the winner s purse of $90 000 while earning his fourth title in two months at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

--IANS ajb/sed