Day three provisional leader Chile’s Joaquin Neimann plays out of bunker at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Saturday. Image courtesy Asian Tour.
By Rahul Banerji
Joaquin Neimann eold the incomplete third-round lead at International Series India presented by DLF even as national champion Kartik Singh was the toast of Saturday’s action.
The first ever shotgun start on The International Series saw Niemann lead Kazuki Higa by a stroke after the delayed second round continued late into the afternoon at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon.
The Chilean was 7 under par for the tournament after eight holes before darkness brought day three to an end with Higa and Ollie Schniederjans from the US, playing in the same group as Niemann, in his wake.
Niemann led after the second round, which was completed earlier in the day, by two shots from Higa and Schniederjans, and looks to be well in control of his game heading into Sunday with play more than likely to spill into Monday as well.
They are all due to putt out on nine when they return in the morning. The event leader made a birdie, on the third, and parred all the other holes in the third round.
Making a run
Making the most of coming through on the bubble, the cut applied at 8 over 152, was England’s Paul Casey who sparked his campaign to life with a blistering 6 under run in nine completed holes with two eagles and two birdies.
Fog and haze each day have caused repeated delays which resulted in the organisers moving to a shotgun start for rounds three and four in order for the tournament to push for completion on Sunday.
Play will commence at 7.30am tomorrow, weather permitting, with the final round starting at 11.10am.
Niemann is attempting to win back-to-back titles on The International Series having claimed the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in December.
Australian Travis Smyth and Eugenio Chacarra from Spain were joint fourth, four shots behind the Chilean while event draw Bryson DeChambeau was six back from the lead.
It is the first time there has been a shotgun start on The International Series but not on the Asian Tour. Last year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters saw two shotgun starts at the weekend because of delays caused by Typhoon Krathon.
This week’s inaugural $2 million event is the first event of the season on The International Series and the second stop on the Asian Tour, after last week’s Smart Infinity Philippine Open.
Big moment
Behind the action at the top, national champion Kartik Singh, 15, made the cut at one of the strongest professional men’s golf tournaments held in India with a 1 under par 71 on Saturday.
Kartik was one of Indians starters surviving the guillotine after 15 had started out on Thursday.
Kartik, son of an Indian Navy officer, totalled 4 over 148 in tied 30th place to become the youngest player from the sub-continent to make an Asian Tour event cut.
DLF Academy product Kartik Singh scripted home history at the International Series event by making the delayed cut on Saturday. Image courtesy Asian Tour.
Having played one Asian Development Tour event previously this was Singh’s second appearance in a professional tournament, with a field that includes two-time US Open winner DeChambeau, home favourite Anirban Lahiri and a host of LIV Golf stars.
The world no. 1 Under-15 amateur admitted that familiarity with the course had helped. “It feels unreal playing with Bryson, because normally I’m looking at him on TV, and here I’m playing with him in the same tournament, so it’s a great experience.
“This is my home course, so I definitely have that advantage and then I know if my game is at that level and if I play my game, I’m able to compete with the pros. The experience was very good today. I played quite well, four under after 11 holes, but it’s okay.
“I mean, I’m still happy with one under par on this course. Yesterday was not that good, but I’m still happy that I was able to make the cut with the likes of Bryson, Anirban and Neimann, and hopefully I can play well this weekend.
“It’s a new experience for me. I’m normally just used to playing alone. No one cares normally in the amateur tournaments. But having the fans here, it’s really motivating and it feels good.”
Also read: Neimann leads as Lahiri, DeChambeau play the long game
Discover more from Tee Time Tales
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.