Ajeetesh Sandhu emerges as top contender after Round 3

Gurgaon, November 3, 2012: Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu emerged as the top contender for the title at the DLF Masters 2012 after he shot a 70 to take a six-stroke lead on the penultimate day of the tournament being played at the DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon. Ajeetesh’s total stands at 10-under-206 after round three. Delhi golfer Rashid Khan and Noida’s Gaurav Pratap Singh are joint second at four-under-212.

Ajeetesh Sandhu (70-66-70), the overnight leader, did not have an ideal start in round three. He dropped a couple of strokes on the fifth and seventh as a result of two missed chip-putts. The 24-year-old then picked up the pace with birdies on the eighth and
ninth where he sank putts from 10 feet and six feet respectively.

Sandhu moved to one-under for the day after sinking a 15-footer on the 14th. A two-putt from the edge of the green earned him his final birdie of the day on the 18th.

“I really enjoyed my round today. I took my opportunities on the greens today as my putting was better as compared to round two. I made some crucial par saves from six feet on the 12th and 13th before converting a long birdie putt on the 14th. However, my ball-striking was not great today. I head into the final day as the leader for the first time. I’ll just concentrate on playing well in the final round and not get too ahead of myself,” said Ajeetesh, who is now staring at his maiden professional title.

Rashid Khan (73-71-68) and Gaurav Pratap Singh (71-68-73) are in tied second place at four-under-212, six strokes off the lead.

Rashid made five birdies against a lone bogey in his round of 68. The highlight of his round was the chip-in from 40 yards for birdie on the fifth. Gaurav Pratap’s round of 73 featured three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

Jyoti Randhawa and Ashok Kumar are in tied fourth place with matching totals of three-under-213 while defending champion Himmat Singh Rai is a further stroke back in sixth place.

In the team championship, the team of Ajeetesh Sandhu, Gaurav Pratap Singh and amateur Mr. Kulvinder Singh won the competition with a net score of 132.

Photo caption: Round 3 leader Ajeetesh Sandhu from the DLF Masters 2012 is in the front while. Gaurav Pratap Singh, who is in joint second after round 3, is in the background.

Press release