Joshi blitz promises contest on final day
BANGALORE: The presence of four local players in the top ten saw the crowd swell early on Saturday during the penultimate round of the $ 300,000 Take Solutions Masters at the Karnataka Golf Association golf course here. They weren’t denied any of the thrills they expected as Bangalore golfer Khalin Joshi, in a remarkable comeback, fired four birdies in the last five holes to reduce the gap of overnight leader Poom Saksansin to two shots. The Thai still held sway, for the third consecutive day, with a 54-hole total of 12-under 201. Saksansin shot a one-under 70 while Joshi, who was twoover on his front nine, eventually carded a three-under 68.
Another Bangalore player Chikkarangappa stayed in the hunt, two shots further behind. Delhi’s Abhinav Lohan fired the day’s best of seven-under 64, which comprised 10 birdies against a bogey and double bogey, catapulting him to jointfourth with Divyanshu Bajaj at 206. Ajeetesh Sandhu and Syed Saqib Ahmed were the other Indians in the top ten, sharing the joint eighth position.
Saksansin and Joshi began the day four strokes apart but with two birdies in the first three holes, against a bogey from the visitor, Joshi narrowed the lead to a single stroke. However, Joshi dropped four shots in the last four holes of his front nine, including a double bogey, and the lead widened to six shots at the turn. “My drives were a bit awry. I knew everything was ok but just had to calm myself,” said Khalin.
The return journey belonged to the Bangalorean as he first made a confidence-building birdie on the par-5 11th. “The birdie settled my game and I knew I could make a comeback.”
With the Thai choosing to play safe rather than attack, Khalin’s second on the par 4-18th found the edge of the green from where he finished with a birdie, one which would go on to help Khalin step on to the tee on the final day with confidence.