Veer Ahlawat opens two-shot lead at TATA Steel PGTI Players C'ship

Gurugram's Veer Ahlawat shot a sensational seven-under 65 in the third round to pull ahead by two shots on the penultimate day of the TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship on Thursday. Veer's total stood at 19-under-197 at the Rs. 30 lakh event. Patna's Aman Raj fired a 67 to occupy second place at 17-under-199 at the second event of the 2020 TATA Steel PGTI season.

Veer Ahlawat opens two-shot lead 

Bengaluru's Mari Muthu made two eagles on way to his 66 to move into third place at 15-under-201. Gurugram-based Aditya Raj Kumar Chauhan became the first player on the PGTI to have achieved the rare feat of making consecutive eagles, both eagle-twos, during his round of 66. He closed the day in tied 16th place at six-under-210. Shubhankar Sharma, the pre-tournament favourite and defending champion, carded a 72 in round three to lie tied 32nd at even-par-216.

Veer (67-65-65), the overnight joint leader, was solid through the first 10 holes making three birdies and an eagle.  Two of Veer's early birdies came from close range, a result of his good ball-striking. On the 10th, Veer made a great recovery from the rough with a nine-iron approach that landed seven feet from the pin and led to an eagle. Veer, who was also the third-round leader at last week's event in Hyderabad, then slowed down with bogeys on the 11th and 14th making a three-putt on the former and misjudging the wind with a wrong club selection on the latter.

However, the 23-year-old did make further gains setting up birdie conversions within eight feet on the 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th as he managed to end the round with a flurry.  

"I was hitting pretty solid and whatever birdies I made were within 10 feet. I found most of the fairways today and my second shots were generally close to the flag. My short-iron and wedge shots were quite accurate today. I also holed those crucial 6 to 7 footers, which were very important to go low on this course," Veer said.

"It's now about driving home the advantage. I will play it hole by hole and not think too far ahead. If I continue to strike the ball the way I've been doing for the past three days, I believe I have a good chance of winning," added Ahlawat, who bagged his maiden title on the PGTI in November last year.

Pune-based Udayan Mane and Bengaluru's S Chikkarangappa returned scores of 67. While Mane was placed fourth at 14-under-202, Chikka was a further shot back in fifth position. Bengaluru's Khalin Joshi (72) was in seventh at 11-under-205. Gurugram's Manu Gandas shot the day's best score of 64. He was placed tied eighth at nine-under-207.