Anirban Lahiri shot a sublime seven-under-65 to seize the lead in round three of the McLeod Russel Tour Championship golf here Saturday.
The Bangalore-based Lahiri's aggregate soared to 14-under-202 in PGTI's year-ending event at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club after he posted the tournament's best score during the day. Delhi's Chiragh Kumar also signed in a 65 to be three strokes off the leader in second position.
Lahiri (66-71-65) overcame an upset stomach to shoot an incredible round. He claimed his first birdie after converting a 30-footer on the second, and then made three chip-ins.
Two of them resulted in eagles on the fourth and 15th and the third resulted in a birdie on the 14th. His other two birdies came on the fifth and 17th. The bogey on the 18th was the only blemish on his card.
Chiragh Kumar (71-69-65) produced the joint best score of the tournament, to climb from overnight tied seventh to second position. Chiragh earned five birdies on the front-nine that featured putts from 12 to 15 feet on the fifth and sixth. He also landed it within four feet on the second and eighth. Chiragh chipped-in for birdie on the 13th and picked up another birdie on the 15th to end the day with a total score of 11-under-205.
Kolkata's Rahil Gangjee sank an eagle from 45-feet and also made two birdies in his round of 68 that moved his score to 10-under-206 and helped him end the day in third place.
Lucknow's Sanjay Kumar, the overnight leader, slipped to joint fourth slot after posting a 71. Abhinav Lohan of Faridabad fired a 69 to join Sanjay in tied fourth at nine-under-207.
Jyoti Randhawa is in seventh place at six-under-210 while Gaganjeet Bhullar and Rolex Rankings leader Rashid Khan of Delhi are in tied eighth spot at five-under-211.
Defending champion S.S.P. Chowrasia lies tied 24th at one-over-217.
