By Rahul Banerji
Viraj Madappa brought in the day’s best card of 6-under 66 to storm into the joint lead with Khalin Joshi (69) in the Rs. 70 lakh Tata Steel PGTI MP Cup at Delhi Golf Club on Thursday.
Koklata’s Madappa and Joshi, who is from Bangalore, were on 12-under par 204 after three days of the event supported by the Just In Time Sports Foundation.
A late charge by the 23-year-old Madappa (71-67-66) saw him make five birdies over the last six holes, taking him into the lead from overnight tied sixth place.
The consistent Joshi (69-66-69), on the other hand, bogeyed the last hole that saw him drop from the sole lead into Madappa’s clutches.
Panchkula-based golfer Angad Cheema (71-68-67) had a flawless 67 to take third place on 10-under 206, the Professional Golf Tour of India said.
Gurgaon rookie Kartik Sharma (70-68-69) had a 69 for fourth place on 9-under 207.
Madappa, ninth on the PGTI Order of Merit and fresh off two top-10s in the last three PGTI events, made two birdies and a bogey on the front-nine to be one-under at the turn.
The lanky Kolkatan, an Asian Tour winner in 2018, then hit a birdie streak from 13 onward, picking up five strokes.
Long conversions
Madappa sank long birdie putts on 13, 15 and 16 including a 30-footer on 15. Viraj missed out eagle opportunities from within 12 feet on 14 and 18 but did pick up birdies.
Had a putt not lipped out on 17, Madappa would have had birdies in the last six holes.
“I’ve been playing really well and giving myself a lot of chances but I haven’t been really optimising everything,” Madappa said.
“I’ve been hitting the ball really close. That helps at a golf course like this where you need to put the ball in the fairway and the right spots on the green.
“I need to hole a few more putts though but I’m not complaining because the game’s looking really good.
“I think I just built on what I did yesterday, kept hitting it close and I was really patient throughout.
“The last few events I’ve been on the leader-board but I just haven’t been able to build four solid rounds over a tournament.
“I’ve put in three solid rounds so far this week and am now just hoping for a good one tomorrow.
“I have won an amateur event over here so I do fancy playing at the DGC.”
Late slip
The 29-year-old Joshi (69-66-69), overnight leader by two shots, was four-under for the day through 10 holes after making five birdies and a bogey.
He, however, lost momentum with two bogeys and a lone birdie in the last seven holes. He bogeyed the closing 18th where he found the bushes.
“I played a good round but was disappointed with the finish. I hope to come back with a relaxed frame of mind in the final round,” said Joshi.
Cheema, in good form since his top-5 finish at the PGTI event in Srinagar, continued to impress closing the day in third place.
Clean round
Like Angad, Kartik Sharma too had an error-free round that placed him fourth.
Kartik leads the PGTI’s Emerging Player of the Year race with the highest earnings among rookies in the season so far, totalling Rs. 7,28,600.
Delhi’s Rashid Khan and Sri Lanka’s N. Thangaraja were tied for fifth on 8-under 208.
Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu equalled the day’s score of 66 to be placed T9 on 6-under 210.
Shiv Kapur (70) was a further shot behind in tied 12th position.
Two-time Indian Open winner S.S.P. Chawrasia and PGTI Order of Merit leader Karandeep Kochhar of Chandigarh were T32 on 2-over 218.
DGC’s Arvind Khanna, the only amateur to make the cut, was placed 53rd on 10-over 226.
Also read: Four-way tie for lead on opening day of MP Cup at DGC
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