Rahul Ganapathy moves ahead

A successive 67 aided Rahul Ganapathy to surge ahead in the final round with a one shot lead, pushing him right at the top of the leaderboard, after the end of three rounds of the PGTI’s Solaris Chemtech Open Golf Championship played at the Golden Greens Golf and Country Club here on Friday.

Overnight leader SSP Chowrasia fell back to second place after he shot level par 72 on Friday. Australian Craig McLean occupied third place as he shot 66 to record the best round of the day.

Ganapathy, who won his maiden professional win at the Global Green Bangalore Open in December, is now nine-under 207 following rounds of 73 and 67 on first two days.

The Mysore-based pro parred the first eight holes on Friday before sinking a birdie on the par five ninth. On the back nine, Ganapathy came up with some scintillating golf as he made birdies on the 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th. He also dropped a bogey on the 17th.

"I really enjoyed myself on the back nine today. I like the back nine on this course and always play well on it,” claimed Ganapathy.

“The only disappointment of the day was the bogey on the par three 17th. I made a three putt after landing my tee shot 30 feet short of the pin. I also missed a 12 foot putt for eagle on the par five 18th," said a little disappointed Ganapathy.

"I have grown in confidence since my first professional win at the PGTI event in Bangalore in December. Earlier I came close to winning on many occasions but could not make it count. But after my triumph in Bangalore I feel I am much tougher mentally and would not succumb to pressure in the final round," he added.

Chowrasia fell back to second after leading in the first two rounds on Friday. Chowrasia's scores of 67, 69 and 72 took his total to eight under 208. The Kolkata golfer's third round included three birdies, one bogey and one double bogey.

He was two under at the turn after picking up birdies on the fifth and ninth. He then went one over on the 16th after dropping a double bogey on the par five 14th and a bogey on the 16th. However, Chowrasia's birdie on the 18th helped him pull back one stroke.

"The 14th hole played spoiler for me today. On the 14th I hit my tee shot in the rough, left of the fairway. My third shot from the left edge of the green also let me down as it went over the green. This was followed by a bogey on the 16th where I made a three-putt," said Chowrasia after the end of three rounds.

Australian Craig McLean registered the best round of the day. His superb 66 placed him third at the end of round three. His total moved to six under 210. McLean sank birdies on the first, second, fifth, 14th and 16th before closing with an eagle on the par five 18th. The Australian dropped a lone bogey on the 10th. McLean had shot level par 72 in his first two rounds.

Digvijay Singh, Anura Rohana, Vijay Kumar and Gaganjeet Bhullar are tied fourth and five under 211. The 2006-07 PGTI Order of Merit winner Ashok Kumar is in tied eighth with a total of three under 213.

Winner of two events in the current season, Mukesh Kumar (72, 72, 73) finished round three in tied 15th with a total of one over 217. Rahil Gangjee (74, 69, 74) is also tied 15th. Gaurav Ghei (77, 71, 74) is placed tied 28th at six over 222.

SCORES AFTER THREE ROUNDS

Rahul Ganapathy 73, 67, 67 (207); S. S. P. Chowrasia 67, 69, 72 (208); Craig Andrew McLean (Aus) 72, 72, 66 (210); Digvijay Singh 69, 72, 70; Anura Rohana (Sri) 69, 71, 71; Vijay Kumar 70, 68, 73 and Gaganjeet Bhullar 68, 71, 72 (211); Ashok Kumar 73, 72, 68 (213); Arjun Singh 72, 70, 72; Karanjit Singh Sandhu 70, 70, 74 and Randhir Singh Ghotra 72, 67, 75 (214); Shamim Khan 69, 75, 71 and Amandeep Johl 72, 70, 73 (215).