By Rahul Banerji
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong took a narrow lead on a testing day three of the inaugural DGC Open presented by Mastercard here on Saturday.
The 25-year-old from Bangkok carded a 2-under par 70 to lead Ajeetesh Sandhu by two shots going into the final day of the $500,000 event on a day the Delhi Golf Club’s Lodhi Course bared its teeth.
Nitithorn’s 8-under 206 led Sandhu’s 208 by two, and was three ahead of countryman Settee Prakongvech on a day the wind and pin positions contributed towards the high scores.
Gaganjeet Bhullar was sole fourth on 4-under 212 while overnight leader Veer Ahlawat squandered six shots to drop into a tie for fifth place alongside M. Dharma of Bangalore on 3-under 213.
Two Thais and two Indians made up the top four and in all, there were 10 home golfers in the top 15 with the final day to go.
Only 11 players broke par on a day that saw bogies and double-bogeys pile up almost at will, a testament to both the conditions and the course set-up.
Two-time Indian Open winner S.S.P. Chawrasia and three others including Sachin Baisoya had the day’s low score of 3-under 69.
Good test
“It was a very good test out there today,” noted the second-placed Sandhu later. “But I’m glad I’m still up there and I’ll have a shot to win tomorrow, so that means a lot.”
Added Nitithorn, “Today, I just focussed 100 per cent on my game and my process. So, the result was really good. I am going to play the same, just focus on my process and have fun.
“Today, I didn’t hit so many greens, but I got a lot of great up and downs. I think I made almost every up and down though there were times I was quite nervous.”
The leader carded four birdies against two dropped shots while Sandhu needed an eagle and a birdie to rescue his card for the day.
Ahlawat had little to cheer about though, dropping six shots in all, three on either side of the turn.
Third-placed Settee Prakongvech opened eagle-birdie, and closed with three birdies in his final four holes but dropped four shots in between while Bhullar needed a final-hole birdie to stay sole fourth.
Not easy
“The last four to five holes were playing really tough and the moment you missed the green there, making an up and down was not easy. I’m glad I finished the round with a birdie on the 18th,” the Kapurthala golfer said.
“On such days, it’s very important to gauge the conditions early on in the round. I’ve played in worse conditions in Europe so I used that experience today.
“I kept telling myself that no one is going to hit low scores, so just keep making fairways and greens and keep making the up and downs. I’m happy to still be right up there and in contention.”
For Sandhu, it was all about making the most of a hard day at the office. “I hung in there today, didn’t really have my best day. Off the tee, with the irons, and with the putter, everything was kind of average.
Bitter medicine
“But I’m glad I’m still up there and I’ll have a shot to win tomorrow, so that means a lot.
“I think you have to take your medicine once you hit it in the bushes here. You can’t be too aggressive from there. The eagle on 14 was probably the best I played today and that was one of the only putts that I made today.
“I’m excited for tomorrow. Two shots in this course doesn’t mean anything. It’s one swing and you can turn it around so you have to be patient tomorrow, you have to keep on playing your own game.
“It was tough to gauge which way the wind was coming from. This is such a tree-lined course and it swirls around so much, that it’s tough to walk to the ball trusting which way it’s going, so that’s the tough part.
“I mean, if you’re able to get a good feeling of which way the wind is going and how strong it is, it really kind of sets the tone.
“It makes the decision-making a little bit easier, which is anyway so tough on this course. So it does have huge importance.”
Always changing
Added Prakongvech, “It was really windy today. And it was always changing.”
For Chawrasia, who knows a thing or two about winning at the DGC, it was all about hanging in on the day.
“I was actually at 4-under but bogeyed my last hole. I was sitting in the middle of the fairway at about 120 yards. But anyway, 3-under is a good round today.
“The course is playing really tough. The redesigned greens are playing the toughest, I think. Overall, it’s fantastic.
“I’m feeling good, actually. I’m just trying to work out my game a little but so hopefully it should come out well.”
Also read: Indian challenge on at DGC Open as Ahlawat, Sandhu return clean cards
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