Bhullar stays on track for Jakarta success

Jakarta, Oct 4 (PTI) Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar carded a one-under 69 to grab a share of the three-way lead with Wade Ormsby (67) of Australia and Scott Vincent (62) of Zimbabwe, going into the final round of the Jakarta International Championship, here Saturday.

Bhullar, a five-time winner in Indonesia, was left to rue one costly mistake on ninth hole, when he double bogeyed the hole despite sitting at the middle of the fairway after another perfect drive.

The leaders are just one ahead of Thai pair of Sadom Kaewkanjana (64) and Poom Saksansin (66), with compatriot Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Steve Lewton of England, Stefano Mazzoli of Italy, a shot further back on nine-under.

"I just made one mistake on number nine. I drove the ball in the middle of the fairway. From there, I was talking to my caddy, whether it is a full eight or a nine, but anyways, I went ahead with eight," Bhullar, the 2023 BNI Indonesian Masters champion, said.

"It pitched on the back edge and just rolled over. From there, I ended up making a double bogey. That was that was one blemish of the day.

"But other than that, I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities. I hit 12 out of 14 fairways today, and 14 from 14 the last two rounds, so I drove the ball well, hit the ball well." Japan’s Kazuki Higa is still in with a chance of a spectacular hat-trick of consecutive victories on the Asian Tour after a three-under round of 67 on day three left him just four off the leaders.

Higa won the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in a spectacular September fortnight, and he is in with a chance of a third straight victory – a first for the Asian Tour – with just 18 holes left to play.

The tournament is the fifth of nine on The International Series, the elevated events which provide a pathway onto the LIV Golf League via the season-long Rankings race. PTI AT AT ATK