Newcastle’s Jake Higginbottom has defied difficult conditions and a tricky DLF Golf and Country Club to charge up the leaderboard on Sunday and finish inside the top-30 at the Hero Indian Open.

Heading into the weekend all eyes were on Maybank Championship winner Scott Hend as he sought to make it two victories on the trot but like many near the top of the leaderboard he wrestled with the course and conditions to finish tied for 35th.

But while Hend went south on Sunday, Higginbottom was making a significant move in the other direction, climbing 36 spots into a tie for 27th courtesy of one of the best rounds of the final day.

Stephen Gallacher’s 1-under 71 – including a quadruple bogey eight on the par-4 seventh hole – was enough for the Scotsman to secure a one-shot win at 9-under par, Higginbottom the best of the Australians at even par.

A third round of 77 had Higginbottom well back in the pack prior to the fourth round but five birdies and just the one bogey saw him record a polished 4-under 68 in the Asian Tour co-sanctioned event.

Kiwi Ben Campbell completed a consistent week with a final round of 1-over 73 to be tied for 32nd, Marcus Fraser joining Hend one shot further back in a tie for 35th.

Sam Brazel was the next best of the Australians in a tie for 45th with Daniel Nisbet and Terry Pilkadaris also completing all four rounds.

Hero Indian Open
DLF G&CC, New Delhi, India
T27        Jake Higginbottom           73-70-77-68—288            €14,334
T32        Ben Campbell                    72-71-73-73—289            €12,464
T35        Marcus Fraser                   71-71-74-74—290            €11,218
T35        Scott Hend                         69-68-74-79—290            €11,218
T45        Sam Brazel                         73-69-73-77—292            €7,323
T54        Daniel Nisbet                     70-73-73-77—293            €5,297
T63        Terry Pilkadaris                 75-70-76-75—296            €3,895
MC         Wade Ormsby                   70-77—147
MC         Jason Norris                       75-74—149
MC         David Gleeson                   84-83—167