Eagleton - The Golf Resort, Bangalore, 02-10-2014

Rashid Khan dominates round three, takes two-shot lead

Local favourite Muniyappa on Rashid's tail

Delhi’s Rashid Khan posted the tournament’s best score, a seven-under-65, to take a two-shot lead on day three of the PGTI Eagleburg Masters 2014, the fourth Super Series event of the season. Rashid ended the penultimate round with a 16-under-200 total. C Muniyappa of Bangalore shot a 66 to be placed second at 14-under-202.

Rashid Khan (68-67-65), the overnight joint leader, maintained his position at the top of the heap with a sizzling 65 on Thursday. The Super Series Points leader tapped-in for birdie on the fifth before picking up strokes on the two par-5s, the seventh and 10th. Rashid, a four-time winner on the PGTI, helped himself to two more birdies on the 12th and 14th before a spectacular eagle-two on the 17th where he drove the green.  

Rashid, a winner on the Asian Tour in 2014, said, “It was an error-free round. I had a decent front-nine but really turned on the heat on the back-nine where I shot a five-under. I landed my tee shot just five feet from the flag on the 17th to set up the eagle that helped me close the day on a high. I hardly missed a green today and struck it really well. Muniyappa will be a tough competitor in the final round as he is from Bangalore and knows the course conditions well. He has also won at this venue. I’ll look to repeat today’s effort in the final round and try to keep the errors out.”

C Muniyappa (69-67-66) gained one place from his overnight tied third position to emerge as the main challenger to Rashid ahead of the final round. Muniyappa, the 2009 Indian Open champion, had a promising first-nine with birdies on the seventh and ninth. He added two more birdies on the 10th and 15th before sinking a mammoth 35-footer for eagle on the 17th.

“I have good memories of this course as I won my only PGTI event here in 2008. I play a lot at this course so I know where to place the ball and that gives me confidence going into the final round. I’m eager for a win as I lifted my last title five years back. I’ve struggled with injuries in recent years and now feel I’m back at the top of my game,” said Muniyappa.

Ajeetesh Sandhu (66-70-69) of Chandigarh shot a 69 on Thursday for a three-day total of 11-under-205. He made a 30-footer for eagle on the seventh and had four birdies and three bogeys.

Local favourite Chikkarangappa, the overnight joint leader, came up with a 72 to slip three places to tied fourth at nine-under-207. He was joined by another Bangalorean Khalin Joshi (68) in tied fourth place.

Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta and Manish Goyal of the DLF Golf & Country Club shot scores of 70 to share fourth place along with Chikka and Khalin.