New Delhi, India: Defending champion SSP Chawrasia and home favourite Pepperell, and Spaniard Carlos Pigem all reached six under par to sit at the top of the leader board. S.S.P. Chawrasia of India remained in prime position to retain his Hero Indian Open title after staying in a three-way tie for the lead when play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday.

 

With almost four hours of play lost to weather delays over the first two days, the lead changed hands numerous times throughout the afternoon as the birdies began to stack up on the challenging Gary Player Course at DLF Golf and Country Club.

 

The five-time Asian Tour winner stood at six-under-par for the tournament alongside England’s Eddie Pepperell and Spaniard Carlos Pigem through 11 holes of the third round at the DLF Golf and Country Club’s Gary Player course.

 

Pigem is seeking a second Asian Tour victory following his success at the 2016 Yeangder Tournament Championship 

 

Malaysian rookie Gavin Green, playing on a sponsor’s invite, made a brilliant charge by snaring six straight birdies from the fifth hole to lie one back of the co-leaders with one hole to finish on Sunday morning. He was six under for the day after starting the third round six off the lead.

 

Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland and England’s David Horsey were a further stroke back which will ensure a battle royale on Sunday in the US$1.75 million tournament tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Indian Golf Union.

 

Chawrasia started the third round tied alongside Pepperell and kept up his hopes of keeping his title with birdies on the fourth and ninth holes against a bogey on two.

“I stuck to the same game plan that I have had for the first two rounds. I just want to hit straight, keep the ball in play and keep giving myself chances all the time. “I am happy that I managed to do that, despite the bogey I dropped. On this course, a few misses (on the green) are bound to happen, but one cannot think about them. For instance on the sixth, I had a long par putt and I holed it after coming out of the bunker." said Chawrasia. 

Likewise, Pepperell was also steady, overcoming a bogey on six with birdies on eight and nine. Pepperell lost his card last season but reclaimed it at Qualifying School and is now aiming for a first European Tour win in his first made cut of the season.

 

Pigem, who started the day three off the lead, birdied his opening two holes before reeling in birdies on seven, eight and 11 to tie for the lead when play was halted at 6.27pm due to darkness. His only dropped shot was on six.

“The most important thing on this course is to have patience. This course is really tough and you need to know when you can be aggressive and when you should be more conservative. That’s the key. Obviously the greens are really big with lots of slopes and it’s very tough to make putts. Pigem added “I’m really excited. It was a shame to finish today because I was playing really good. But I will have a good sleep and see if tomorrow I can play as good as today.”

The 23-year-old Green, highly touted following a strong amateur career in the United States, wielded a hot putter which included birdies on his first and 17^th holes to keep his hopes alive for a maiden Asian Tour victory. Malaysia's Gavin was shaping up to be the story of the day when his round caught fire on the fifth hole as he embarked on a stunning six birdie streak that propelled him to five under par. A bogey birdie-finish left the big-hitting rookie one back from the leaders with one hole remaining. 

Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey bogied the 12^th to leave the course one further back at four under, alongside Englishman David Horsey.

 

The third round will resume at 7am, Sunday, with the final round starting no earlier than 9.45am.