Teenager Manoj S storms into the lead at Trident Open

Chandigarh, Nov 13 (PTI) Teenager Manoj S fired a five-under 67 to take a one-shot lead after round three of the inaugural Trident Open golf tournament here on Thursday.

At the age of 17 years, seven months and 26 days, Manoj, who is currently nine-under 207, is now in line to become the youngest player to win as a professional on the PGTI.

The record is currently held by Shubhankar Sharma who achieved the feat (PGTI Cochin Masters 2014) at the age of 17 years, eight months and 22 days.

Karandeep Kochhar holds the overall record for the youngest player to win on the tour as he registered his maiden win (PGTI Players Championship at Tollygunge Club 2016) while still an amateur at the age of 17 years and five months.

Former PGTI Order of Merit champion Manu Gandas (66-73-69) carded a 69 to close the third round in second place at eight-under 208.

Yuvraj Sandhu (70) and Akshay Sharma (72), as well as Shubham Jaglan (71), Shaurya Bhattacharya and Mohd Azhar are bunched in third place, three shots behind at five-under 211.

Manoj, lying one off the lead in tied third place after round two, quickly made his way up the leaderboard with four birdies and a bogey on the front-nine.

Manoj, who has recorded five top-10s in his last six starts on the PGTI, collected four more birdies in exchange for two bogeys on the back-nine to move into pole position.

On a day when conditions seemed to ease up a bit with lower scores being posted, Manoj rolled in three 10-footers, capped the round with a 25-feet conversion on the 18th and also missed a hole-in-one on the Par-3 14th where his tee shot hit the flag. PTI APA AT AT