Jakarta: Golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar recovered from a shaky start with a two-under-par 69 to share the third round lead with Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond at the Indonesia Open here Saturday.
The Indian, ranked sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, opened with a double bogey but steadied the ship with his solid ball striking as he joined Jazz, who shot a 68, atop the leaderboard on 13-under-par 200 at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at Damai Indah Golf.
Thai Thongchai Jaidee, a three-time Order of Merit winner, birdied the last for 68 to remain in hot pursuit of his 14th Asian Tour title as he trails the leaders by two shots at the $750,000 event.
Thaworn Wiratchant, winner of the 2005 Indonesia Open, was a further three shots back following a 69 while Jyoti Randhawa of India returned with a superb 65, the best round of the day, to share fifth alongside local Rory Hie and Prom Meesawat of Thailand.
Bhullar held a one-shot advantage after returning Saturday to finish two holes in Round 2. However, his lead was erased when he dropped two shots on the first hole after an errand approach shot landed in the bushes in the penultimate round.
The four-time Asian Tour winner battled back with a pair of birdies from hole three before adding a bogey and birdie on 10 and 13. Following a birdie on 17, Bhullar attacked the 18th green with his seven iron and was rewarded with a birdie from five feet.
“I would never go for the flag but I said that I'm right up there so I might as well give my 100 percent in this shot and that was the decider. I had about 153 ft to the stick and hit my seven iron to the left of the flag and holed it,” said the 25-year-old.
“I have another 18 holes to play and the battle is on. Jazz is playing good and a lot of other guys are up there. When you are on the course, you are pretty much in the zone and you don't realise if you are tired because you are excited,” added the Indian.
Leaderboard:
200 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 66-66-68, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 64-67-69.
202 - Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 67-67-68.
203 - Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 70-64-69.
204 - Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 69-70-65, Rory HIE (INA) 68-68-68, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 67-66-71.
205 - Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) 71-65-69, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 67-67-71, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 66-67-72.
206 - Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 71-68-67, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 74-65-67, Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 69-68-69, Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA) 69-67-70.
207 - Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 72-68-67.
208 - Daniel CHOPRA (SWE) 71-69-68, Angelo QUE (PHI) 72-68-68, CHAN Yih-shin (TPE) 71-67-70, KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 68-68-72.
209 - Chan KIM (USA) 68-72-69, LEE Sung (KOR) 70-72-67, David LIPSKY (USA) 67-71-71.
