Two-way tie for clubhouse lead but Chacarra heads DPWIC field

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood shared the clubhouse lead on day three of the DP World India Championship in New Delhi though there were 10 players ahead of him on the leaderboard who were yet to complete the third round at Delhi Golf Club on Saturday. Image courtesy DPWIC.

Two-way tie for clubhouse lead but Chacarra heads DPWIC field

By Rahul Banerji

A bogey-free run by defending champion Tommy Fleetwood gave him a share of the third round clubhouse lead alongside Gregorio De Leo at the $4 million DP World India Championship in New Delhi on Saturday.

England’s Fleetwood (70-69-68) and De Leo of Italy (67-74-66) were on tournament totals of 9 under par 207 though as many as 10 players who were still to complete 54 holes were ahead of them on the leaderboard on another extended day of action.

In all, 51 players across 17 groups were yet to complete the third round after 26 of them started Saturday early to complete the second round.

Leading that pack was 2025 Hero Indian Open champion Eugenio Chacarra on 14 under after 11 completed holes in his third round, one stroke ahead of fellow-Spaniard Angel Hidalgo and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands.

Fourth place was a three-way tie while a further four players shared seventh place as the fallout of Thursday’s five-hour rain delay continued to reverberate though the tournament.

Former DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion Om Prakash Chouhan (68-72-71) was the best-placed of six Indians who made the 36-hole cut this morning in a share of 30th place on 5 under 211.

The Mhow golfer opened and closed his third round with birdies that also included one bogey and 13 straight pars between holes 5 and 17.

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, who is in contention for the DP World Tour’s rankings race, was in fine fettle and at 14 under par in his incomplete third round at the Delhi Golf Club on Saturday. Image courtesy DPWIC.

Full focus

“My body was feeling very tight after playing 36 holes, but I stayed focused on my game. It was a steady round,” the 40-year-old said later.

“I’ve played here many times, so I know how to plan my way around the course and where to position the ball. That experience has helped me.

“Right now I’m not thinking too much about being the leading Indian. I’m concentrating on my own game. I have one target: to focus on my game, my tee shots and my second shots.”

Anirban Lahiri was 2 under after 16 holes of his third round while Yuvraj Sandhu, Saptak Talwar, Karandeep Kochhar and Shiv Kapur were all on level par totals and still out on the course.

Post his second round, Chacarra said, “It’s nice when you’re at the top but there is a lot of golf left still. 

Comfort zone

“But I like where I’m at, where my game is. I need to control what I can control, and that’s my target for the next couple of rounds.”

“I need to get my momentum going and hopefully I can keep doing that.”

In the morning session, there was some cheer for home fans as six Indians made the 36-hole cut that fell at level par 144 with Chouhan leading the way on 4 under 140.

But the star turn was by recent DP World Tour member Yuvraj Sandhu who scorched the DGC turf with a sensational back nine to climb past the elimination line.

After being 3 over through the first seven holes Sandhu sank seven birdies — six after the turn — to rally from his first round 75 and card a 4 under 68 for a 1 under 141 36-hole total alongside Lahiri . 

“I’ve only just finished the round, and I’m still trying to understand how I pulled it off,” Yuvraj said later. 

“Funnily enough, I was just appreciating the game. Across these 36 holes, between yesterday and today, I’ve experienced some incredible ups and downs. 

Past DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion Yuvraj Sandhu produced a fiery end to his second round of the tournament thaat was good enough to see him comfortably past the cut line at the DGC on Saturday morning. Image courtesy DPWIC.

Even keel

“All you can do is maintain the same temperament on every shot.

“I knew I had the shots in me, and there were plenty I needed to pull off on the back nine. I think seven-under over 10 holes is a personal best.”

Lahiri (70-73), whose last worldwide win came on this course at the 2015 Hero Indian Open, had completed his second round a day earlier to be tied for 53rd place.

The other Indians making the cut were Kapur (72-72), who had finished on Friday, Kochhar (72-72) and Talwar (71-73).

Of the seven Major champions in the field, those making the weekend were Rory McIlroy (70-68) at T12, Shane Lowry (75-65) at T29, Aaron Rai (69-74) at T53, Justin Rose (72-72) and Patrick Reed (75-69) at T63.

The two who missed out were Danny Willett (retired) and reigning Open winner Ryan Fox (76-70).

Prominent Indian names missing the cut were Shubhankar Sharma (76-72), Rashid Khan (77-69), Veer Ahlawat (74-72), Ajeetesh Sandhu (74-78) and Shaurya Bhattacharya (78-74).

Also read: Weather delay spills over into day two of DP World India C’ship