By Rahul Banerji
Moving Day proved profitable for Arjun Sharma who shot a steady two-under 70 to take the third-round lead at the IndianOil Servo Masters at Digboi Golf Links on Friday.
Pune-based Udayan Mane carded the day’s best of 66, climbing nine places to second on 11-under 205 at the Rs. 75 lakh event, the PGTI said.
Delhi’s Kshitij Naveed Kaul posted a 69 to gain two spots and end day three in third place on 10-under 206.
Kaul finished his day in style, nailing two birdies, an eagle and a par in his final four holes after having started from the back nine.
Besides Udayan and Kshitij several other contenders were giving chase on the packed leaderboard.
Five players – halfway leader Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (74), Pawan Kumar (67), Mithun Perera (68), M. Dharma (68) and Sunhit Bishnoi (69) are tied for fourth just three shots behind the lead on nine-under 207.
Sharma (66-68-70), who registered a career-best runner-up finish on the PGTI in Coimbatore in August this year, has made a gradual progression during the week.
Steady climb
In round one, he was fourth, second after round two and now finally the event leader with some consistent golf.
The 29-year-old, 28th on the PGTI Order of Merit, made pars on the first six holes where he didn’t hit it close to the flag.
Sharma picked up his first birdie on the seventh but soon lost ground with successive bogeys before the turn where he missed a fairway and a chip-putt respectively.
Arjun regained control on the back nine after putting together three consecutive birdies where he hit it to within three feet on two occasions.
He followed up with good par saves from tough spots on the closing two holes.
Arjun said, “The front nine troubled me for the third day in succession. I’m one over this week on that stretch and 13-under for the back nine.
“I think the back nine is actually the tougher half of the course. So I feel that I need to play the first nine better in round four, especially the seventh, eighth and ninth holes.
“I’ve been playing well starting from Coimbatore but I just haven’t been consistent enough. But I know the game is there and I just need to keep at it and keep it going.”
Into the fray
Mane (70-69-66) began the day with a bogey but came up with six birdies thereafter till hole 14 including three conversions between 20 and 25 feet to roar into contention.
The Olympian’s second bogey of the day on 15 was once again negated by birdies on 16 and 17.
Mane said, “Importantly, I kept the momentum going today as I followed up my two bogeys with birdies immediately after.”
Kaul (65-72-69) mixed an eagle and four birdies with three bogeys during his round that featured some quality chip-putts.
The eagle on the par-5 seventh came after his approach shot from 200 yards landed just a foot from the flag.
Khalin Joshi was tied for 12th on seven-under 209 while Manu Gandas shared 27th place on four-under 212.
Dulal Kalowar, the only local professional to make the cut, was 57th on three-over 219.
Also read: Sandhu on course at Digboi with resolute show in round two
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