By Rahul Banerji
Leading on the big stage ahead of the final day is not new for Shubhankar Sharma. At the ongoing $7 million CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, he is one of three atop the leader board
Sharma last did so back in February after the second round and third rounds of the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship before finishing tied ninth.
From 11 PGA Tour starts so far, it remains his career best finish.
On Sunday, Sharma will once again line up alongside third round playing partners Marc Leishman and Gary Woodland who share the lead at 19-under-par 197.
Both his co-leaders are three-time winners on the PGA Tour.
“I’ve been in this position before and I’m in it again,” Sharma reminded coming off the course after his round of six under 66.
“But the good thing also is that we’re in Asia and I’m going to get a lot of support from all the fans.
“I know what to do and what not to do, so I’ll just try and relax as much as possible and come back tomorrow strong.”
Sharma is bidding to become only the second player from India to win on the PGA Tour after Arjun Atwal who won the 2010 Wyndham Championship.
Leishman opened with a birdie-birdie-eagle start and was 7-under after 10 holes but played the last eight holes in 2-over for a 5-under 67.
Sharma did well to hang in during the early Leishman assault and stay in touch with the big-hitting Australian.
Accuracy was the hallmark of his play along with solid putting, though he was to miss a couple of birdie putts from close.
In all, Sharma had seven birdies against a lone bogey for his 66 and only needed 25 putts on the day.
Good start
“I got off to a flyer, and the front nine was great, four under par through seven,” Sharma said.
“On the back nine I made a lot of crucial par putts and missed a few coming in, but really happy with the way I played and hung in there.
“On this golf course you have to be good with your strategy, but it’s all about hitting it as close as possible from the fairways because you’re hitting short irons on every hole.
“I know tomorrow it’s an open tournament, it’s anyone’s tournament tomorrow, so it’s all about getting off to a good start and just trying to go as low as possible.
“Anything is possible until the 18th hole tomorrow.”
Alongside Sharma and Leishman, the USA’s Woodland was unable to match his record-equalling 11-under round of Friday but did enough to stay in the hunt.
Woodland has finished runner-up here twice already in 2014 and 2015.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (71) had three birdies against two bogeys for a 6-under 210 total while Anirban Lahiri (68) hit six birdies, but dropped two shots. Lahiri was 2-under and T-64th and Rahil Gangjee (73) was lying 77th at 5-over for three days.
Miscellany
Shubhankar could join five other third round co-leaders s if he holds on to win the CIMB Classic on Sunday.
They include Ben Crane/2010, Bo Van Pelt/2011, Ryan Moore/2013 and /2014, Justin Thomas/2015 and Pat Perez/2017.
Shubhankar’s three-day score of 197 is his lowest 54-hole score on the PGA Tour in 12 starts. His previous low was 200 at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February.
He is also the second Indian after Anirban Lahiri to lead/co-lead the third round at the tournament. Lahiri led by four in 2016 before finishing T3.
Last year, Pat Perez held a four-shot, third-round lead at 21-under 195 on his way to a four-shot victory.
International Presidents Cup team captain Ernie Els fired a bogey-free 6-under 66 in the third round. Els, a 19-time PGA Tour winner is at 10-under 206.
Read also: Late, late entrant Anirban Lahiri is a relieved man on KL arrival
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