Late charge carries Kshitij Kaul, Shankar Das into joint lead

By Rahul Banerji

New names popped up as contenders amidst sweeping changes in the Pune Open golf championship leader-board after day three of the Tata Steel-PGTI event at the Poona Club Golf Course on Thursday.

Rookie teenager Kshitij Naveed Kaul (66) of Delhi and the seasoned Shankar Das (67) of Kolkata, a past winner at the venue, turned in late charges to move into the joint lead at 11-under-202.

Panchkula-based Angad Cheema (67) too made gains to end the day in third place at 10-under-203 at the Rs. 30 lakh event.

Record equalled again

Delhi’s Kapil Kumar equaled the course record with his 8-under-63 to jump from overnight tied 35^th to tied 10^th at 6-under-207.

Eighteen-year-old Kshitij Naveed Kaul (69-67-66), tied fifth and two off the lead at the halfway stage, moved up four spots in round three to stake his claim for a maiden title.

Kaul, who had a career-best runner-up finish at PGTI’s event in Chittagong, Bangladesh, last month, made a slow start on Thursday with an early bogey. He managed to pull one back before the turn with a chip-in birdie.

Kaul turned up the heat on the back nine with five birdies in the last six holes, three of them conversions from 15 to 35 feet.

Making ground

Kaul said later, “My approach shots and putting helped me score well today. I had a slow start but I more than made up on the back-nine. Even though it’s my rookie season, but I feel I’ve now settled down well and am not overawed by situations.

“This is the second time after Chittagong that I’ll be playing in the leader group on the final day. So I feel that I now have that little bit of experience of being in this situation.

“That will certainly help me come the final round. But I’ll just take it one shot at a time and try not to think too much about the leader-board.”

Das (68-67-67), one off the lead at the halfway stage, also enjoyed a late surge with pars all the way till the 13^th before picking up four shots over the last five holes. Das, a seven-time winner on the PGTI, said afterwards, “I began well as I missed out on a birdie by a whisker on the first where my bunker shot just touched the hole and went past.

‘Good sign’

“At that point I knew I would have a good round. The final stretch was just incredible and gave me loads of confidence. I now go into the last round with the good memories of having won at this venue back in 2011.”

Cheema, who won his only title in his rookie season in 2013, climbed to third place with a card that featured five birdies and a bogey. Cheema was consistent and kept the errors out and the highlight of his day was driving the green on the par-4 14^th.

Bangalore’s Syed Saqib Ahmed and Mysore’s Yashas Chandra were tied for fourth at 9-under-204.

All the three joint leaders from round two slipped on the day. While N. Thangaraja (71) of Sri Lanka dropped to sixth and 8-under-205, Lucknow’s Sanjeev Kumar (73) slipped to tied 10^th at 6-under-207 and Bangalore’s Jaibir Singh (76) was tied 17^th at 3-under-210.

Kapil Kumar’s approach work helped him land close to the pins through the day. His round had nine birdies and a bogey and it helped match the course record of 63, also shot in round one by Ahmedabad-based Samarth Dwivedi.

There are now six joint course record holders including C. Muniyappa (2014 PGTI Qualifying School Final Stage), Chikkarangappa (2006), S. Madaiah (2005) and Vijay Kumar (2004).  

Also read: Dwivedi sets Pune Open bar with record-equalling round of 63