Digboi, Nov 20 (IANS) Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) ranking leader Yuvraj Sandhu’s dominating display in Round Three gave him a commanding six-shot lead at a total of 16-under 200 at the INR 1 crore Digboi Masters 2025 being played at the Digboi Golf Links.
Yuvraj (65-69-66), who led by two strokes after the first two rounds, expanded his lead by another four shots on Thursday after firing a brilliant and error-free six-under 66. The 28-year-old from Chandigarh is now poised for his third win in Digboi and fifth title of the season.
Chasing Yuvraj on the final day will be Viraj Madappa (70-68-68), who is playing in Digboi for the first time and is currently placed second at 10-under 206. The 28-year-old Madappa’s third round of 68 lifted him one spot from his overnight tied third position.
N. Thangaraja (67) of Sri Lanka and Veer Ahlawat (69), a former winner in Digboi, were tied third at a total of nine-under 207. Deven Bhumij of Digboi, the only local professional to make the cut, was placed tied 42nd at four-over 220 following his third round of 73.
Yuvraj Sandhu, who has been at the top of the leaderboard from Day One onwards, made a red-hot start in the third round as he collected five birdies on the first seven holes, where he drained three putts from a range of six to 10 feet. Yuvraj then went on to add another birdie on the Par-5 15th.
Yuvraj, the only player to cross INR 1 crore in season earnings on the PGTI so far this year, said, “I hit 17 greens in regulation for the second day in succession, so my ball-striking continues to be solid. The putter also did its job. However, I missed a few four-footers for birdie on the back nine that slowed down my progress a bit.
“I hold the record for the lowest winning total in Digboi, which is 23-under. I would love to break that record this week, but I need more putts to fall in the final round to achieve that number. The fact that I had a birdie opportunity on virtually every hole today and did not concede a single bogey also adds to my self-belief going into the final round,” added Sandhu, who finished runner-up in the last two PGTI events after losing out in successive playoffs.
Viraj Madappa, a winner on the PGTI earlier this year, has managed to make a mark in his first appearance at the Digboi Golf Links, which also happens to be his first-ever trip to Assam. Viraj’s round featured a chip-in for eagle on the 11th, another exceptional chip that left him a tap-in birdie on the 14th, two more birdies, and a bogey.
Saptak Talwar (72), who was second at the halfway stage, dropped to tied fifth at eight-under 208. Shivendra Singh Sisodia (70) joined Saptak in tied fifth place. Defending champion Jamal Hossain (70) of Bangladesh ended the day in tied eighth place at five-under 211.
–IANS
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