Aman Raj storms into third-round lead at Golconda Masters

By Rahul Banerji

Patna golfer Aman Raj carded a bogey-free 7-under 63 to take the third-round Golconda Masters lead at the Hyderabad Golf Association course on Friday, gaining four places in the process.

On 16 under 194, the dapper Aman Raj leads Delhi’s Sachin Baisoya (66-61-68) and Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma (61-65-69) who were tied for second on 15-under 195, the PGTI said.

Aman (66-65-63), five shots off the lead at the start of the day, sank his first birdie with a 12-foot conversion on the fourth after which there was no looking back.

The 28-year-old, a two-time winner on the PGTI, then drained an eagle from 50 feet on the sixth, knocked in a 15-footer for birdie on the seventh and produced a spectacular chip-in for birdie on eight.

Aman’s exceptional chipping and putting helped him add two more birdies on the back nine.

Quality finish

“I kept finding the fairways and greens today and was actually waiting for my first birdie which came on the fourth and gave me the much-needed momentum,” Aman said later.

“My short game stood out as I was quite confident about my chipping and putting and was therefore going for the pins.

“I’ve been mentally quite relaxed this season and have not been putting too much pressure on myself and that has reflected in my results.

“Come tomorrow, I just want to keep executing whatever I have planned and wait for the putts to fall in, once that happens, I can keep building on the momentum.”

Baisoya’s 68 featured three birdies and a bogey including two long conversions. Akshay Sharma’s 69 included three birdies and two bogeys while Ravi Kumar (67) was fourth on 13-under 197.

Kshitij Naveed Kaul’s eight-under 62 was the low round of the day and had him tied for ninth on 9-under 201.

Local lad Mohd Azhar was tied 18^th on 7-under 203.

Tata Steel PGTI Rankings leader Om Prakash Chouhan was tied 15^th on 8-under 202 while Rahil Gangjee was tied 39^th on level-par 210.

Round 3 leaders

194: Aman Raj (66-65-63)

195: Sachin Baisoya (66-61-68); Akshay Sharma (61-65-69)

197: Ravi Kumar (63-67-67)

Also read: Sharma holds on to Golconda Masters lead at halfway stage