Indian home favourite S S P Chawrasia is at the front of the queue a third victory takeout at the Delhi Golf Club course.
The 36 year old posted a third round 70 to move to 12-under par and a two shot lead in the Hero India Open.
And with a round to play Chawrasia, and presently ranked 204 in the world, is no stranger to success in the Indian capital having won on the same course in 2008 and 2011 in similar co-sanctioned Tour events.
SSP Chawrasia leads by two heading to the final round of the Hero Indian Open. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
He leads from fellow course specialist Delhi Golf Course specialist Siddikur Rahman who birdied the 18th hole for a third day running but with the Bangaladesh golfer left ruing a 15th hole double bogey in a round of 70 for a 10-under par tally.
“I feel great,” said Chawrasia. “I missed a few putts but I’m still happy.
“I missed my eight iron on the 17th hole, or else I would have still been bogey free.
“I want to think and play positive on the final day. The final round is always special so I will play aggressively.
“I played my own game and I am not thinking that I’m playing match play. If anyone is coming closer, let them – I just want to focus on my own game.”
The 30-year old Siddikur has won on the course before and only failed to finish in the top ten once in 11 starts over this layout.
Australia’s Marcus Fraser fired a third day 67, and also birdied the 18th for a third day in succession, to be in third place on nine under par.
A highlight of Chawrasia’s round was at the long eighth hole when his tee shot clattered off a tree branch down the right and bounced 40 yards forward to the edge of the fairway, but the World Number 204 failed to take advantage as he only managed a par after missing a five footer.
However, Chawrasia’s escape at the ninth owed nothing to luck; after blind-siding himself with a wayward tee shot down the left, he hacked out sideways onto the fairway, pitched to five feet and converted to remain bogey-free for the tournament through 45 holes.
Siddikur had also run up a string of pars to the turn to stay two behind, while Marksaeng had been joined in third by recent Maybank Malaysian Open winner Anirban Lahiri, who followed a birdie from 40 feet at the ninth with a bogey at the next.
