The 28-year-old Tirawat enjoyed a bogey-free round that was highlighted by birdies on the 3rd, 8th and 11th. He signed for a 12-under-par 276 total to win his maiden Asian Tour title by one shot at the historic Karachi Golf Club.

Tirawat turned his season around in victorious fashion after being plagued by a lower back injury in the majority of the year.

“I’m really happy about my victory, the first on the Asian Tour,” Kaewsiribandit said.

“I’ve been having problems with my lower back for the majority of this year. But, I started to train up my strength and condition and it was obviously worked for me. I am playing without injury and without pain, and that has made me enjoy my golf a lot more.”

Compatriots Jakraphan Premsirigorn and Namchok Tantipokhakul share second place after carding 72 and 73 respectively.

“I’ve been having problems with my lower back for the majority of this year. But, I started to train up my strength and condition and it was obviously worked for me.” – Tirawat Kaewsiribandit

Jakraphan got off to a good start with a birdie and was neck-and-neck with eventual winner, Tirawat. However, a double bogey on 13th seemed to have unravelled his round, but he recovered with a birdie on 16th. Another birdie on 18th would have forced a play-off, but he could only manage a par.

Namchok, the 54-hole leader, made an uncharacteristic double bogey on hole 6th, but he managed to focus on his game and kept pace with his flight mates. He got back into contention with a birdie on 13th, but could not find that extra gear in the remainder of his round.

Muhammad Munir of Pakistan got the crowd cheering when he scored four consecutive birdies after the turn. He got himself into contention at that juncture, but he made a bogey on 15th and had to settle for fourth eventually.

Liu Yanwei of China took advantage of a hot putter to rally to a tied-fifth finish, his highest in 2018. He got his round going early in the day as he made four consecutive birdies from holes 2 to 5. The 21-year-old took only 25 putts on Sunday.

Marcus Both was the best of the Australians, finishing T30th.