Nairobi, Kenya, March 18: In-form Justin Harding of South Africa continued his rise on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as he breaks into top-50 for the first time in his career after capping a solid joint runner-up finish at the Kenya Open on Sunday.

Harding, who propelled to 52nd place on the world ranking following his European Tour breakthrough in Qatar a fortnight ago, rode on his fine form to close with a five-under-par 66 and a 15-under-par 269 total to finish one shot back of winner Guido Migliozzi at the Karen Country Club.

Starting the day with a four-shot deficit, Harding reeled in eighth straight pars before making a birdie on the ninth for the fourth time last week. He added another birdie on the 11th and nailed an eagle from 10 feet on the next to move into a share of the lead but slipped back with a bogey on 13th.

The 33-year-old South African recovered with birdies on 15th, thanks to a stunning approach, and 17th, after sinking a 20-footer, to cap another solid result on the European Tour, which would now put him in a good position to qualify for The Masters in Augusta next month.

“I think I’m probably still going to have to have a decent result come the Match Play but I’ve at least given myself a decent shot at Augusta. I thought I played quite nicely. Didn’t get everything out of the front nine, couple of bad chips on six and seven which were naughty, but gave myself a chance coming down the stretch.

“It was another good week, pretty pleased. I battled, probably from hole one, with club selection and the wind swirling around so to have come out and posted 15 under, I’m pleased. I had a good week last week and another one this week so I’m sitting quite nicely first season on the European Tour,” said Harding, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar was left to rue a missed opportunity for his second European Tour title as he returned with a battling 69 to settle for fifth place on his own on 270.

The 30-year-old Indian, who started the day just two shots back, had marked his card with seven birdies against two double-bogeys and a bogey. His fifth-place finish would be his first top-10 result on the European Tour since the Czech Masters in August last year.

Ends.