Shanghai, Nov 7 : India’s Anirban Lahiri signed for a six-under 66 in the third and penultimate round to jump 21 places to be tied 40th, while compatriot S.S.P. Chawrasia carded 71 to be tied 43rd at the $8.5 million World Golf Championship (WGC)-HSBC Champions here on Saturday.
After rounds of 70 and 75, the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Lahiri produced a class act that was marred only by a double-bogey on the par-five eighth hole at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
The 28-year-old has a three-day total of five-under 211 as he trailed leader Evin Kisner of the United States by 11 strokes. Chawrasia has a 54-hole total of four-under 212.
World No.39 Lahiri, who teed off at the back-nine 10th hole, stormed towards the turn with five birdies (12th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th) for an outward 31.
The seven-time winner on the Asian Tour started marking his card with more birdies again on the sixth and seventh holes before a double-bogey on the eighth halted his charge momentarily.
While feeling disappointed with carding a double-bogey on the same hole for two consecutive days, Lahiri showed great character by bouncing back quickly with another birdie on the ninth to sign for a 66.
“I’m more relieved than anything else. I’ve been playing well but just haven’t come up with a good score. I was slightly disappointed to have left a couple of shots out there coming in, but it was a great round and I’m happy that it’s come around today and I’ve got a chance to move up tomorrow,” said Lahiri in a release.
On the double-bogey he said “I haven’t made too many doubles in the last two or three months and to do it on a par-five from the fairway on each occasion is ironic. It just shows how easy it is to mess up from a good situation.”
World No.241 Chawrasia meanwhile posted a 71 for a 212 total. The 37-year-old got a couple of birdies and bogeys in the front-nine before picking a shot on the 16th hole.
“I’m playing well but I missed several short putts today which I hope will not happen again tomorrow,” said Chawrasia.
Meanwhile world No.34 Kisner saw his overnight lead reduced to one after he carded a 70 to take the lead.
Kisner traded four birdies against two bogeys for a three-day total of 16-under 200 but has compatriot Dustin Johnson, China’s Li Hao-tong and Scotland’s Russell Knox all piling on the pressure at 15-under 201.
Knox will return to finish his round on Sunday morning as he still has one hole left to play after darkness cut short his third round at Asia’s richest tournament.
American duo — world No.2 Jordan Spieth (63) and world No.18 Patrick Reed and Englishman Ross Fisher shared the fifth spot on 13-under 203.
Spieth, winner of this year’s Augusta Masters and the US Open, charged ahead after firing nine birdies for a 63 — best score of the day.
Australia’s Scott Hend, second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, remained firmly in contention for his WGC breakthrough after returning with a 67 to trail Kisner by four shots in the tied eighth place.
IANS