San Antonio, Texas: In the final round of the 2017 Valero Texas Open, Kevin Chappell hits a superb approach into the green on the 72nd hole then clinches his first TOUR title with an 8-foot birdie putt. Ace Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri encountered an extremely disappointing day as he ballooned to six-over 78 on very windy and cold conditions to lie way behind in tied 72nd spot after third round of the Valero Texas Open, here.

 

Disappointing third round for Anirban Lahiri in Valero Texas Open

 

Lahiri, who had a great start in the first round with a 68, is now six-over for three rounds. He had just one birdie in the entire round, on par-3 16th.

 

Lahiri had three other bogeys and then had two doubles on  his own back nine, at the fifth and ninth holes, after starting from the 10th.

 

Meanwhile, Kevin Chappell survived a roller-coaster front nine with three birdies, one double bogey and three bogeys. He also had two provisional shots, neither of which he needed to use.

 

Kevin Chappell makes late run for 54-hole lead at Valero Texas Open

 

On the back nine, Chappell fought the windy conditions and birdied three of the last five holes, to card 71 and take the sole lead at eight-under.

 

Chappell is ahead of first-round leader Branden Grace, who rallied with two-under 70, and John Huh, who after an eagle-birdie finish, shot 71.

 

"A big relief," the 30-year-old Chappell said. "There's been quite the monkey on my back for some time now about getting that first win. And to take that off and not have to answer those questions anymore is nice."

 

Ryan Palmer, a West Texas native also handled the winds as strong as 25 mph well to shoot four-under 68. He is joined at six-under by second round co-leaders Bud Cauley (74) and Tony Finau (74), Sweden’s Carl Pettersson (71), 2013 Texas Open champion Martin Laird (71), Kevin Tway (72) and Australian Cameron Smith (73).

 

Gusts that blew past 20 mph kept scores high and there were only 14 scores below par yesterday.

 

On Friday 49 rounds were under par, and 69 sub-par scores were recorded Thursday.