In the lead by three shots after 54 holes, Bangalore’s Khalin Joshi is within striking range of a seventh title on the final day of the inaugural Andhra Open at East Point Golf Club in Visakhapatnam. Image courtesy DP World PGTI.
By Rahul Banerji
Overnight leader Khalin Joshi extended his advantage to three strokes on Moving Day at the inaugural Rs 1 crore Andhra Open in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
The Bangalore golfer returned a 1 under par 70 to total 7 under 206 after round three on a blustery day at East Point Golf Club that made scoring difficult with just the top nine on the leaderboard under par.
Three others were on level par 213 after 54 completed holes, the DP World PGTI said.
Joshi (68-68-70), a six-time winner, who opened the week with rounds of 68 and 68, will thus take a comfortable advantage into Friday’s final round.
Dubai-based Yash Majmudar (71-69-69) and Delhi’s Rashid Khan (70-72-67) shared second place on 4 under 209 with the latter producing the day’s best card to move into contention.
The Andhra Open is supported by host venue EPGC and event partner, the Andhra Pradesh Golf Association.
Bouncing back
Joshi’s round revolved around a strong recovery after a shaky start that included three three-putts early on.
The 33-year-old bounced back with a tap-in birdie on hole seven when his approach shot left him inches from the hole, and then delivered a crucial eagle on the par-5 12th, where he sank a 15-footer.
“I didn’t get off to a good start, but I stayed patient and trusted my ball-striking,” Joshi said later.
“I’m driving it well and hitting my irons solid, so just need to keep the putter going. I’m proud of the way I handled myself on the course despite the poor start and fought back on the back nine.
“Going into the final round, I’ve been in such situations before so I know that I just need to be in my zone and play good golf shots and that should take care of everything else,” Joshi added.
The par-5 seventh hole has been adjusted to a 477-yard par-4, bringing the course par down to 71.
Unconventional approach
Majmudar, a San Diego University graduate, continued to impress with his unconventional one-handed chipping technique. He looked set to close within two shots before a closing bogey dropped him into the tie for second.
Rashid, a two-time Asian Tour winner, surged into contention with a strong penultimate round which included an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys.
Kolkata’s Viraj Madappa (69-71-71), the youngest Indian winner on the Asian Tour and a winner on the DP World PGTI last season, was tied for fourth on 2 under 211.
Greater Noida’s Arjun Sharma (71-70-70), who has been one of the consistent performers on the DP World PGTI, was alongside.
Joshi, currently 55th on the Order of Merit, is now in prime position to end a four-year winless run, with his last title coming at Coimbatore in August 2022.
With a three-shot advantage, Joshi will want to hold his nerve in the final round in chase of a seventh professional title.
Also read: Khalin Joshi climbs into the lead at inaugural Andhra Open
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