Ashok takes sole lead; Bhullar and Shankar close on his heels at Panasonic Open India

New Delhi, March 31, 2012: Ashok Kumar, considered one of the most naturally gifted players in Indian golf took a big step towards his breakthrough win as rook sole lead at the end of the third round of the Panasonic Open India on Saturday. Ashok rolled in a 15-footer on the 18^th for a final birdie to card a second straight 69 and move to eight-under 208.

Ashok was atop a leader board that had a very Indian look to it, with two-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar (70) one shot behind in second place at 209 and Shankar Das (71) another one seeking his maiden Asian Tour win, was third at 210. There were five Indians inside top seven places.

In the bunch at tied fourth, there were two more Indians, Digvijay Singh (68) and Manav Jaini (72), alongside overnight leader Bangladeshi Siddikur (73) and Australian Wade Ormsby (71), who celebrated his 32^nd birthday on Saturday. Kunal Bhasin (68), an Australian of Indian origin, held the eighth place at 212, while American Ben Fox (69) and Irishman Niall Turner (71) completed the top ten.

More than a decade ago, the 28-year-old Ashok, first came to the Delhi Golf Club as a caddie and in the time since has won more than 20 times on the domestic Tour and even topped the Order of Merit more than once. Six years ago he held a share of the lead going into the final round of the Aamby Valley Masters, but the fell apart on the last day and ended in fifth place.

Ashok, who topped the Asian Tour’s Greens in Regulation category last year, was on fire with his iron shots and missed only one green in regulation to take a one-shot lead over Bhullar.

“I’m not even going to think about the title. It is too far fetch to think ahead now. I’m just going to concentrate on my own game and not the leaderboard,” said Ashok. “In the past, I’ve been aggressive on the final day but I’ve totally changed now and will play calmly. I will treat it like another day.”

Bhullar fired a 70 to lie in second place while Shankar Das ensured the top three spots were occupied by Indians in the penultimate round of the US$300,000 event.

Ashok, who was tied second overnight, had a great birdie-birdie start. He was three-under after a third birdie on eighth. But he went way off the green on the ninth and then used a putter from the walking path and missed his par. He was steady through the back nine with pars all the way till he got a last birdie on 18^th from 15 feet.

Bhullar holed a huge 25-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole and hopes the experience of winning on the Asian Tour will guide him to a third victory.

“Mentally there is a bit of relief in my mind that I’ve won before. Winning a tournament in India on the Asian Tour is a big deal for an Indian because you are playing in front of friends and family. It will definitely give me a great sense of achievement,” said Bhullar, whose last victory was in 2010.

SSP Chowrasia recovered from a potential disaster when he dropped six shots in three holes. After a birdie on first, he triple bogeyed the second, bogeyed the third and double bogeyed the fourth. He then had three birdies, on sixth, 13^th and 15^th to finish with 74 and was tied 18^th with Jyoti Randhawa (69), Shamim Khan (73) and Om Prakash Chouhan (70) at one-over 217.

Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour, rued a cold putter as he returned with three bogeys against two birdies but is still confident of making a final round title charge.

“My putting wasn’t good so I hope to get back on track. There’s a long way to go. I’m very confident for tomorrow. I feel I have a slight advantage because I’ve come close to winning on this course before,” said Siddikur, who finished in fifth place at the SAIL-SBI Open on the same venue last month.