Chawrasia leads HIO by two after R3

Report by Anand Datla

February 21, 2015: Shiv Chawrasia is making the most of his familiarity with the course at the Delhi Golf Club. The Indian golfer almost went bogey free for a third day running, before giving one back at the 17th hole to suffer his first dent this week. Playing with the defending champion, Siddikur Rahman, the 36 year old golfer held all comers at bay to march into the final round with a two shot cushion. Chawrasia will start tomorrow at 12-under with Rahman hot in pursuit at ten under as the two good friends tussle for the prestigious title.

While the defending champion has been as resolute as he could be, it was expected that Anirban Lahiri might be the one to chase down a low score and put some pressure on the leading group. The highest ranked Indian golfer though came unstuck on the back nine – giving away shots at the 10th and 13th holes. A bogey immediately after the turn and a double at the par-4 13th pinned him down.

Anirban never quite rallied from there, needing 37 to complete his second nine. Eventually, he settled for a tame 70 that left him seven shots behind Chawrasia. Daniel Chopra was the best man of the third round, firing a 65 to climb up 21 spots – T4 at 6-under along with Prayad Marksaeng.

Arjun Atwal looked steady through rounds of 70 on the first two days, but slipped out of the top 50 with a painstaking 75 on Saturday. S Chikkarangappa, Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa though have reason for hope, as they linger just outside the top twenty at 1-under through 54 holes.

Unmistakably though, the man DGC is singing for is Chawrasia. The popular golfer suffered a rare stumble at the 17th when he flew right and pitched long to settle for his lone bogey in 54 holes is looking solid for the most part. “I think I have the right strategy,” told the understated man from Kolkata, speaking with Golfing Indian. “I hope to go out there and execute a similar plan on Sunday. Clearly, I need a low score in the final round to ensure victory. It is exactly what I want to do tomorrow.”

Scores (through 54 holes)

201 S Chawrasia (Ind) 65 67 69

203 S Rahman (Ban) 65 68 70

206 M Fraser (Aus) 69 70 67

207 D Chopra (Swe) 70 72 65, P Marksaeng (Tha) 68 70 69

208 P Peterson (USA) 69 68 71, A Lahiri (Ind) 73 65 70

212 Chikkarangappa (Ind) 69 75 68, J Randhawa (Ind) 74 69 69, J Singh (Ind)

213 C Kumar (Ind) 69 74 70, M Jaini (Ind) 73 69 71, M Kumar (Ind) 71 73 69, A Cheema (Ind) 72 70 71,

214 K Kumar (Ind) 72 72 70, S Sharma (Ind) 69 72 73, R Khan (Ind) 71 72 71

215 A Malik (Ind) 75 69 71, A Atwal (Ind) 70 70 75, S Kapur (Ind) 73 69 73

217 O Chouhan (Ind) 71 73 73

218 N Thangaraja (Sri) 71 73 74