By Rahul Banerji
Khalin Joshi charged into a share of the third day lead with Siddikur Rahman in the $400,000 Panasonic Open India at the Delhi Golf Club on Saturday.
Joshi also raised hopes of a seventh Indian win in eight editions of the event with the week’s card of eight-under par 64.
Siddikur battled to a 2-under 70 with pars in his last seven holes while Joshi had an incredible nine birdies and a bogey.
They are now 13-under 203.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (70), stayed sole third at 12-under, while overnight co-leader Thai Suradit Yongcharoenchai (72) slipped to fourth at 11-under.
Positive move
Seven weeks after winning his maiden PGTI title, Aman Raj (68) climbed from T12 to tied fifth at 10-under.
Five players including Sachin Baisoya (67) and M. Dharma (70) were T6 at 9-under.
Jeev Milkha Singh (75) fell from shared sixth place to T24, while defending champion Shiv Kapur (71) played his third successive under par round but still could not get a low score.
Joshi is still looking for his first Asian Tour win after two runner-up finishes (Bangladesh Open 2015 and Take Solutions Masters 2017).
In the hunt
For his part Siddikur stayed in the hunt for a second Asian Tour title at the DGC, where he won the Hero Indian Open in 2013.
Joshi has three wins on the PGTI but none on the Asian Tour, and this season he has been in the top-10 thrice on the Asian Tour.
He shot a 64 in the third round of the Take Solutions in Bangalore to share second place but faded in the final round to finish T6.
Said Joshi later, “I got off with a par, I birdied the second, made a good par on the third. (I) birdied fourth, birdied fifth and birdied eighth.
Birdie blitz
“I had a par on ninth and birdied 10th and 11th. After a par on 12th, I made a bad bogey on 13th where I was just in the rough, but my next shot flew over the green.
“I have been playing pretty solid all week. I just didn’t finish well on the first day. But other than that I have been playing well.
“Giving myself more birdie chances, which is key here. I have always struggled to hit fairways at this golf course in the past. I am playing more aggressive this year.”
Added Siddikur who started with a hat-trick of birdies, “It’s good that I played in the leader group today.
“It’s been some time since I last played in the leader group. I think I have overcome the nerves today so I should be fine for tomorrow.
“One more day to enjoy out there so I am really looking forward to it.”
Sandhu, who has been around the top for all three days, said, “I am disappointed with my score because I played a lot better than that.
“Just missed a lot of putts. But still I’m just 1 back so that doesn’t mean anything, there are still 18 holes to go.”
Suradit summed up his day saying, “I just wasn’t lucky. I hit good shots but got some unlucky bounces. I am just two shots behind. I think I still have a good chance.”