Seven-up Joshi sets up thrilling final day

Khalin  Joshi is a familiar face at Karnataka Golf Association. He is greeted by most of the people in the greens and everywhere else. Why not? It is his home course and there are expectations when he competes here. The Bengaluru man was well supported in Round 3 of the TAKE Solution
Khalin Joshi in action at TAKE Solution Masters | PUSHKAR V
Khalin Joshi in action at TAKE Solution Masters | PUSHKAR V

BENGALURU : Khalin  Joshi is a familiar face at Karnataka Golf Association. He is greeted by most of the people in the greens and everywhere else. Why not? It is his home course and there are expectations when he competes here. The Bengaluru man was well supported in Round 3 of the TAKE Solution Masters. Normally, one witnesses the crowd following the leader group, but that was not the case on Saturday, as people began to cheer the local boy.

There was an air of confidence about him and a sense of conviction in what he was doing. The birthday boy presented himself a wonderful gift, a round of seven-under 64, which gave him a tally of 13-under 200. From tied eighth overnight, he moved to joint second, just a stroke behind Argentina’s Miguel Carballo. He had seven birdies, including a hat-trick of them from the 10th to 12th. Despite the challenging conditions, Joshi was on a roll.

“Anywhere you play, if you know the golf course, it will definitely help. You know the reads of the greens and stuff. Familiarity with the conditions helps. It’s great to have some advantage. I have played a lot here, so I know the course. The conditions were windy but the greens were very receptive,” said Joshi. It was at the same venue and the tournament, where Joshi was impressive last year, finishing runner-up. It was the closest that he has come to winning a maiden Asian Tour title after a joint-second finish in the Bangladesh Open in 2015. Joshi will be looking to go one better.

This year has not been that great, as he has managed just two top-tens, but this event presents him a chance to clinch the elusive title in front of his dad, who has been present at the course since Round 1. “There’s a lot of golf left, 18 holes to go. But I have put myself in a good position. That’s all I was expecting this week, to give myself a fair chance going into Sunday.” Competition on the final day is going to be intense. If Carballo would be trying to maintain his lead, Joshi would be keen to catch up early and apply pressure. Leaderboard: 199: Carballo (ARG, 66-66- 67). 200: Joshi (IND, 67-69-64), Boonma (THA, 66-61-73). 201: Madappa (IND, 70-65- 66), Chikkarangappa (IND, 69-64-68). ashim.sunam@newindianexpress.com

Sharma, Lahiri miss PGA Championship cut

ST LOUIS (US): Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri both missed the cut at the PGA Championship, the last Major of the year. Lahiri had a miserable day on Friday, as he missed a bunch of putts and went through a horrible streak of four bogeys in five holes on the back nine to card threeover 73. His three-over 143 was not enough to make it to the final two rounds. One-under through seven holes in the second round when play was stopped due to inclement weather, Sharma finished the second round with 74, which gave him a tally of 143. He was playing his fourth successive Major this year.

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