SURI AND SHINKWIN SHARE LEAD WHILE KAWAMURA CHASES AT THE HERO INDIAN OPEN
New Delhi - Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura showed his mental toughness by storming home with five birdies in his closing nine holes after carding an ugly triple-bogey on the eighth hole to stay close to third-round leaders American Julian Suri and England’s Callum Shinkwin at the Hero Indian Open on Saturday.
The Japanese will head into the final round two shots back of Suri and Shinkwin after he signed for a four-under-par 68 at the US$1.75 million event which is held at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
Suri and Shinkwin posted rounds of 71 and 68 respectively to take their place atop the leaderboard with their three-day total of 11-under-par 205.
Apart from that momentary blip on eight, Kawamura was consistent all day and thanks to his sharp-shooting driver where he only missed one fairway. The Japanese will be aiming to end a six-year title drought on the Asian Tour this week.
India’s S. Chikkarangappa kept the local hopes alive on moving day with seven birdies in his opening 13 holes. He seemed on course to break the course record set by compatriot Shubhankar Sharma last year until he dropped his first shot of the day on hole 17 after missing the green on his approach. Chikkarangappa would still finish with a commendable round of 66 to take tied-sixth place.
American Sihwan Kim and Australia’s Scott Hend lie a further shot back following their respective rounds of 67 and 74.
