Atwal improves marginally to finish tied 48th

Wisconsin, July 31 (UNI) A marginally improved performance of one-under 69 in the final round could not make much difference as Arjun Atwal finished a disappointing tied 48th in the 4,800,000 dollar US Bank Championship in Milwaukee here.

The Orlando-based Indian, who was second after the opening round, failed to recover from the third round slump which saw him card a horrendous three-over 73 as he ended his campaign with a four-day total of five-under 275.

Atwal -- playing his back nine first -- was off to a good start with a birdie on the 10th but went level-par after that.

The one shot advantage was nullified as soon as he made the turn to play his front nine and hit back-to-back bogeys on the first and second. He compensated for the lapse with consecutive birdies on the fifth and sixth but his inability to convert any other chance meant that he had to be content with the tied 48th spot.

Meanwhile, Corey Pavin claimed the title by firing a birdie and a superb eagle in his final round card of three-under 67. The American finished with a brilliant 20-under 260, two shots ahead of compatriot Jerry Kelly, who also came up with a 67 in the last round.

Americans dominated the leaderboard and occupied the top nine positions with Korean KJ Choi (64) -- with a four-day total of 13-under 267 -- being the only Asian in the top 10 at the tied ninth spot.

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