Flie photo of Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond, joint leader in the Bharath Classic Gujarat golf tournament being played at Kensville Goilf Ressort near Ahmedabad. Image courtesy Asian Tour.
By Rahul Banerji
Ahmedabad: Amateur Ishaan Chawan continued to lead the home challenge in shared third place at the $500,000 Bharath Classic Gujarat golf tournament on Saturday with his third straight round in the sixties.
At the top, Jazz Janewattanond, the Asian Tour’s highest-ranked player had compatriot Poosit Supupramai for company after day three on 15 under par totals at the Kensville Golf Resort near here.
Poosit’s 6 under 66 on the day was boosted by an ace on the. Par 3 16th hole.
On a day the tournament shifted into shotgun mode and the lead changed hands repeatedly over 18 holes, Chawhan, returning to the game after injury setbacks was on 12 under totals, three behind the leaders.
Ahmedabad-based Chawhan (67-69-68) saw his total on the 7,210-yard par 72 Kensville track matched by Korea’s Heemin Chang (64-69-71) and Panuphol Pittayarat (68-66-70) of Thailand, whose last Asian Tour win came in 2018.
Just three weeks ago, Chawan, 22, brought in a top-five finish at an IGU event on this course though he calls the Kalhaar Blues and Greens his home base.
Calm display
Playing alongside experienced professionals and international winners, the young amateur has more than held his own.
“I have had injuries to the knee, back and wrist and lost a lot of time. Only in the last year or so have I been getting my game back in shape,” said the soft-spoken amateur.
“Hurt my knee playing football and then the other injuries followed.”
“I play a lot at Kalhaar and also here at Kensville,” said Chawhan, whose last event, the Gujarat Amateur, was at this course less than a month ago and he was a top 5 finisher.
“I like this course. But I am not getting ahead of myself and am just going to keep playing the way I have,” he added.
Carlos Pigem (71) and Steve Lewton (69) were tied for sixth on 11 under, with former Indian Open winner Siddikur Rahman (67), overnight leader Wooyoung Cho (74), Witchayapat Sinsrang (69) and Ekpharit Wu (70) sharing eighth place on 10 under totals.
Top professionals
Yuvraj Sandhu (72-66-69), Shaurya Binu 72-66-69), Aman Raj (73-68-66) and Pukhraj Singh Gill (66-70-71) were the best-placed of the home professionals in tied 12th place on 9 under par totals alongside Sette Prakongvech of Thailand.
“Three under today was not a bad effort and I’m happy with the way my game is going,” PGTI Rankings leader Sandhu said later.
Former Asian Tour winner Ajeetesh Sandhu (70) shared 17th place on 8 under with James Piot (70) of the US and Taipei’s Shin-chang Chan (69).
Chawhan started from the tenth alongside tee Gill and England’s Lewton. After four pars he had back-to-back gains but dropped a shot on 18.
Playing steadily thereafter, he picked three more birdies against no further damage to his card.
Aman Raj birdied each of the four par 5s and had seven birdies against one bogey, while Yuvraj Sandhu had four birdies against one dropped shot.
Raj, in good form this season, said, “It was good to get in a low score and there is one more day to go.”
Strong start
Starting from the tenth tee, Jazz, a former Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, began strongly with three birdies in his first five holes and finished with four in his last six holes.
“It was good, bogey free is always nice,” said the Thai. “I actually made some good birdies as well out there, I’m very happy with where my game is heading at.
“There’s a couple that I left on the golf course. I didn’t take all the opportunities on the par fives and stuff like that. I definitely took some.
“The par fours, I don’t think I can play the par fours better than this, but the par fives I can definitely do a bit better.”
Also read: Chawhan, Gill lead Indian charge as Cho heads Kensville field
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