International Series India: Joaquin Niemann holds lead at the end of day 3

Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Ollie Schniederjans from the United States, playing in the same group as Niemann, are one and three shots back respectively.

The first ever shotgun start on The International Series saw the advantage lie with Joaquin Niemann today during the third round of the International Series India. The Chilean reached seven under for the tournament at DLF Golf and Country Club after eight holes before darkness brought day three to an end.

Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Ollie Schniederjans from the United States, playing in the same group as Niemann, are one and three shots back respectively.

It was an historic day on another level, as 15-year-old local amateur Kartik Singh became the youngest ever Indian player to make the cut on the Asian Tour. Singh carded a one-under-par 71, taking him to a four-over total at the halfway stage and safely inside the cut line which fell at eight over. The teenager struggled on day three however, and was on 12 over par after dropping eight shots through nine holes.

Singh was one of 10 Indian golfers to make the cut on the testing Gary Player-designed course. Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar were both three over through eight holes when darkness fell. Karandeep Kochhar was the only local player to stay under par in the third round, moving to seven over par after two birdies and one bogey through nine.  

Niemann led after the second round, which was completed earlier in the day, by two shots from Higa and Schniederjans, and looks to be well in control of his game heading into tomorrow. They are all due to putt out on nine when they return in the morning. He made a birdie, on the third, and parred all the other holes in the third round.

Thick fog each day has caused numerous delays which resulted in the organisers moving to a shotgun start for rounds three and four in order for the tournament to reach completion on Sunday.

Play will commence at 7.30am tomorrow, weather permitting, with the final round starting at 11.10am.

Niemann is attempting to win back-to-back titles on The International Series having claimed the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in December.

Australian Travis Smyth and Eugenio Chacarra from Spain are in joint fourth, four behind the front runner.

American Bryson DeChambeau, the star attraction this week and current US Open champion, is six back from the top.

It is the first time there has been a shotgun start on The International Series but not on the Asian Tour. Last year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters saw two shotgun starts at the weekend because of delays caused by Typhoon Krathon.

This week’s inaugural US$2million event is the first event of the season on The International Series and the second stop on the Asian Tour, after last week’s Smart Infinity Philippine Open.

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