From a Correspondent
Jakarta: Rashid Khan took advantage of late lapses by his opponents to share the third round lead in the $500,000 Bank Mandiri Indonesia Open at Pondok Indah Golf Course on Saturday.
Rashid held the tournament lead alongside Atiruj Winaicharoenchai from Thailand as they made a late charge up the Jakarta leaderboard.
Khan (68-70-64) posted a sublime bogey free eight-under-par 64 while Atiruj, who carded a magnificent 63 on Friday, fired a 68 for 14-under par totals.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (68-67-68), bidding to win this event for a record third time after his successes in 2013 and 2016, carded a 68 and was one shot back.
He had Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat (72), the leader after rounds one and two, and Chapchai Nirat (68), plus Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun (72) for company in tied third place.
While Rashid birdied the par-five 18th and Atiruj carded a par, Gaganjeet and Chang dropped shots, Chapchai finished double bogey and bogey while Itthipat staggered home with bogeys on 13, 15 and 17.
Hong Kong amateur star Taichi Kho, joint leader on the opening day, brought in a 70 and was just two off the lead.
‘Pretty good’
“Yeah, it was a pretty good round, I was minus five after nine,” said Rashid, who has won twice before on Tour, both in 2014.
“I had that somewhere in my mind that I can close the gap (on the leaders but I had no idea that it was going to be this situation in the end.
“I made really good birdies on 11 and 12 so I was seven under after 12, and knew we had like two or three good holes coming up.
“And I knew the stretch wouldn’t be easy. And so the pars I saved on 14, 15 and 17, you know that gave me momentum.”
Atiruj recorded his maiden wins on The All Thailand Golf Tour this year and his form has certainly not deserted him.
He said: “Today’s putting was good, but it was quite windy so I didn’t hit it that close so less birdies than yesterday. I have to find more fairways I guess, in today’s wind I didn’t hit the fairways enough.”
En route. the Thai made a brilliant eagle on the par five 14th.
“I hit driver off the tee and a hybrid for my second shot, that left me an eagle putt from like eight feet and I just made it,” he said.
Thailand Poom Saksansin carded a 63, the joint lowest score of the week, and Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva returned a 66, and are joint seventh with Kho. (courtesy asiantour.com)
Going for an unprecedented Indonesian Open treble, Bhullar was four shots off the pace after the first two days.
The nine-time Asian Tour winner had opening rounds of 68 and 67 at the that has drawn a solid Indian participation.
Joining Bhullar for the weekend were Shiv Kapur (70-68), Rashid (68-70), M. Dharma (70-68), besides Veer Ahlawat, Honey Baisoya, Ajeetesh Sandhu Karandeep Kochhar and Udayan Mane.
Also read: Bhullar finds fitness and focus ahead of Indonesian Open
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