New Delhi, October 27: Indian talent Khalin Joshi fired a superb eight-under-par 64 to turn a six-shot deficit into a one-shot lead alongside Bangladeshi hero Siddikur Rahman following the penultimate round of the US$400,000 Panasonic Open India on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Joshi, who is bidding for a maiden Asian Tour title, produced a near-perfect card which included nine birdies and a lone bogey. His three-day total of a 13-under-par 203 would match the efforts of Siddikur, who signed for a battling 70, at the Delhi Golf Club.

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India remained in third place after carding a 70 while overnight joint-leader Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand slipped two shots off the pace to fourth following a 72 in the event, which is celebrating its eighth successive editions on the Asian Tour this week.

Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner, got off to a fast start with three straight birdies before dropping two bogeys on the fourth and ninth hole to turn in 35. He would regain a shot on the 11th hole to remain one shot ahead of the chasing pack.

Joshi has enjoyed a superb season thus far, capping two top-10 finishes to sit in 23rd place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings. Having virtually secured his playing rights for the 2019 season, Joshi will take aim at securing a breakthrough victory on Sunday.

Sandhu, who traded three birdies against a bogey, remained hopeful of a successful redemption at the Panasonic Open India, where he came in joint-second last year. He is chasing for a second victory and first on home soil on the region’s premier Tour.

The Panasonic Open India is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and is the second leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing, which is an aggregate points race that spans five events – in Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan.

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh

Did you know?

• Khalin Joshi has come close to winning his maiden title on several occasions. His best result on the Asian Tour was a runner-up finish at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters, held on his home course in Bengaluru.
• Joshi’s low round of a 64 was three shots better than the rest of the field on moving day at the Panasonic Open India. It was his personal best 18-hole score at the prestigious course and the lowest round of the tournament so far this week.
• The last time he shot a 64 was during the third round of the TAKE Solutions Masters two months ago. He was trailing by one heading into the final round where he would eventually finish in tied-sixth position.
• Joshi, who turned professional in 2013, enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish at the lucrative Maybank Championship in Malaysia earlier in February to virtually secure his Asian Tour card for the 2019 season.
• Joshi missed only three greens and four fairways in his solid round of 64. He needed only 26 putts around the greens.
• Siddikur Rahman holds an impeccable track record at the Delhi Golf Club. He won his second Asian Tour title in 2013, finished inside top-10 in four of his five attempts at the Panasonic Open India and has secured six top-10s in other Asian Tour events there.
• Siddikur did not play in the last two editions of the Panasonic Open India. In his last appearance in 2015, Siddkur came in tied-second.
• Placed 97th on the money list, Siddikur needs a strong showing to boost his rankings and hopefully break into top-60 by the end of the season to keep his Asian Tour card for 2019.
• Siddikur enjoyed his career-best season in 2013 when he came in fourth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He has not finished outside top-60 on the money list in his last eight consecutive seasons on Tour since 2010.
• The 33-year-old Siddikur wrote a slice of history in 2010 when he became the first player from Bangladesh to win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open.
• Ajeetesh Sandhu enjoyed a superb season in 2017 where he claimed his maiden Asian Tour win at the Yeangder TPC in Chinese Taipei. He followed up with a play-off win on the Japan Challenge Tour the week after.
• His good form continued in the following weeks at the Macao Open and the Pansonic Open India where he finished joint runner-up. Also enjoyed a tied-eighth place finish at the season-ending Indonesian Masters to finish in 21st position on the final 2017 Order of Merit.
• The 30-year-old Sandhu sits in a current 34th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to two top-10 finishes in Japan and Korea.
• Suradit Yongcharoenchai is seeking for his maiden Asian Tour title this week. He turned professional at a tender age of 16 and will be celebrating his 20th birthday on Sunday.
• Suradit sits in 40th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to two top-five finishes in India and Pakistan. He came in joint runner-up at the TAKE Solutions Masters in India in August and finished tied-fifth in Pakistan two weeks ago.

Players’ quotes:

Siddikur Rahman (Ban) – Third round 70 (-2), Total 203 (-13)

I got off to a great start with three birdies in a row. Dropped a few shots after that but all in all, it wasn’t too bad. I had some doubts here and there about my game during the round but I managed to control myself and told myself not to think about what will happen.

I think I managed myself very well today. I thought I played really well on the last five holes but the putts didn’t drop. I hit a good drive on the 14th hole although I missed a three-footer for birdie. Missed birdie again on the next hole and hit a good three-wood on 16th but missed birdie as well.

I hit a good drive on the 17th again. I played a three-wood off the tee but unfortunately it went a little left. I still had a chance there and I made a good up and down. I kept myself in it. I wasn’t frustrated although I didn’t play as good today compared to the last two rounds.

One more day to enjoy out there so I am really looking forward to it. It’s good that I played in the leader group today. It’s been some time since I last played in the leader group. I think I have overcome the nerves today already so I should be fine for tomorrow.

It will be a fearless day tomorrow. I have a lot of experiences playing in the leader group before so that won’t be a matter to me. It’s always good to have a one-shot lead. I think the back nine is slightly tougher. The last few holes are very tight and it can be really challenging under pressure.

There won’t be anything exceptional tomorrow. Everything will be the same. I will head back to the hotel later, freshen up, get a good sleep tonight and come back tomorrow!

Khalin Joshi (Ind) – Third round 64 (-8), Total 203 (-13)

I got off with a par, I birdied second, made a good par on the third. Birdied fourth, birdied fifth, birdied eighth. Parred 9. Birdied 10,11. Made a bad bogey on 13th, I was just in the rough, flew over the green. Great chip, about 4ft missed the puyt. Birdied 14, 15 and 18.

Overall, I am very happy with the way I played, pretty solid. I mean I hit pretty well of the tee. I am putting pretty good, so overall the game is in good shape. I am just happy with the way I am playing.

I have been playing pretty solid all week. I just didn’t finish well on the first day. Finished with two bogeys. But other than that I have been playing well. Giving myself more birdie chances, which is key over here.

And I have always struggled to hit fairways in the golf course in the past. You know I have worked on my driving, I am playing more aggressive this year. I am hitting drivers in few holes. I am just comfortable with the swing, the way I am playing. Looking forward to tomorrow.

I felt really good in Bangalore two months ago as well, but never really close that off. I feel I have been hitting the ball pretty well. Worked on my game the last two weeks, just comfortable with the way I am playing. Looking forward to tomorrow.

It’s always good to give yourself a chance. I have a fair chance on Sunday and hopefully tomorrow I will be up there all throughout the game.

It doesn’t really matter who I play with. I have always been a scoreboard watcher, I will just try to play my best.

I think all of my birdies today were pretty good. I got pretty close, I made two good putts. I think the putt I made on 11 was about 15-17 Feet. Other than that, all my putts were pretty close, within 10 feet.

I hit a great drive on the 18th, about 330 yards to the middle of the fairway but had a bad four- iron to the left of the green. Hit a great chip there which lipped out to about two feet and yeah it became a birdie.

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India

Ajeetesh Sandhu (Ind) – Third round 70 (-2), Total 204 (-12)

I am disappointed with my score because I played a lot better than that. Just missed a lot of putts. But still I’m just one back so that doesn’t mean anything, there are still 18 holes to go.

I have hit it the best that I have for the last three days, in fact for the last few months actually. On this course, you have to patient. Even if you get a good start, you still have a lot of holes to play.

The back nine here can get a bit tricky, especially the stretch of 11, 12 and up till 16. If you play well, you can make a few birdies but you can drop a few shots as well. So it does not really depend on the start, you just have to patient through all the 18 holes.

Suradit Yongcharoenchai (Tha) – Third round 72 (even), Total 205 (-11)

I think I just wasn’t lucky today. I hit good shots but got some unlucky bounces. I made a good birdie on the third after sinking a 20-footer. That gave me some confidence heading into the round.

It’s going to be my second time playing in the final group in the final round tomorrow. The first time was in Myanmar earlier this year. I am just two shots behind. I think I still have a good chance tomorrow.

I will focus on hitting more fairways tomorrow and see how it goes. I am looking forward to it.

Scores after round 3 of the Panasonic Open India being played at the par 72, 6935 Yards Delhi GC course (am – denotes amateur):

203 – Khalin Joshi (IND) 71-68-64, Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 67-66-70.

204 – Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 67-67-70.

205 – Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 66-67-72.

206 – Aman Raj (IND) 70-68-68.

207 – Sachin Baisoya (IND) 70-70-67, Matt Stieger (AUS) 70-69-68, Yutaka Araki (JPN) 70-67-70, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 70-67-70, M. Dharma (IND) 70-67-70.

208 – Kshitij Naveed Kaul (IND) 72-66-70, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 68-67-73.

209 – Jbe Kruger (RSA) 71-70-68.

210 – Steven Jeffress (AUS) 71-71-68, Angad Cheema (IND) 70-70-70, Mukesh Kumar (IND) 71-67-72.

211 – Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 70-74-67, Chiragh Kumar (IND) 72-71-68, Shiv Kapur (IND) 70-70-71, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 71-69-71, Prom Meesawat (THA) 71-69-71, Tapy Ghai (IND) 67-72-72, Jack Harrison (ENG) 69-68-74.

Ends.