Three-way tie for the lead heading into final round at Tour Championship

Three-way tie for the lead heading into final round at Tour Championship

Key Highlights:

→ Three-way tie at the top between Bhullar, Chawrasia, Malik sets up final day thriller at Tour Championship 2020.

→ Khalin Joshi shoots day’s best 62 to be joint fourth with Chikkarangappa.

→ PGTI Order of Merit leader Karandeep Kochhar (71) was tied 11th at 12-under-204.  

Another exciting final round is on the cards, after a splendid super Saturday where Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia, and Amardeep Malik plays their heart out and climbs to the top of the leaderboard to make the last event of the year Tour Championship even more nail-biting.

The talented youngsters of Indian golf, Bhullar, Chawrasia, and Malik, shifted their gears on the third day of the Rs. 1.5 crore event with matching totals of 20-under-196 to claim the top position at the leaderboard.

Gaganjeet raised his hopes with a determined third round of 64, on the other hand, SSP and Amardeep also continued to be in contention with rounds of 68 and 67 respectively, on Saturday.

The man in-form Khalin Joshi produced the day’s best score of 10-under-62 to occupy tied fourth place at 18-under-198 along with Chikkarangappa (68).

Gaganjeet Bhullar (69-63-64), lying tied fifth and five off the lead at the halfway stage, surged up the leaderboard with a round featuring nine birdies and a bogey. 

Bhullar said, “It was a solid round, and I feel a continuation from the second day where I had shot a nine-under. I made a lot of up and downs for birdies. I also scrambled well at the start having found the trees twice.

Amardeep Malik (63-66-67) made his way up from overnight third and two off the lead even as his bogey-free run came to an end. Among Malik’s seven birdies, two were tap-ins, two were long conversions, and one was an up and down from the bunker. He also dropped two bogeys.

Amardeep said, “I feel I still have to be tighter with my game when I’m playing under pressure in the last two rounds. That’s the consistency I need. Today it was fun to play alongside my favorite Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia. Fortunately, I’ll get to play in the same group as him tomorrow as well.

SSP Chawrasia (67-61-68), who was overnight second and one off the lead, followed up his spectacular 61 on day two with a flawless 68 on Saturday to gain one spot and move into the joint-lead.

Chawrasia, a winner of six international titles, including four on the European Tour, said, “I missed a few short putts today. But I was in control of my round. In round two, I was much closer to the flags and holed more putts compared to today.

The sixth place is secured by Arjun Prasad, who shot a 68 on the third day, to be in the race of winning the event. 

Rahil Gangjee (68) and round two leader Harendra Gupta (74) find tied seventh place at 15-under-201. While the veteran Jyoti Randhawa (69) was tied ninth at 14-under-202, highest-ranked Indian golfer in the world Rashid Khan (68) and PGTI Order of Merit leader Karandeep Kochhar (71) was tied 11th at 12-under-204.