Sharma starts well but finishes modestly, lies tied 14th at KLM Open

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma started on a bright note but three bogeys spoiled his outing as he finished with a modest two-under 70 to lie tied 14th at the KLM Open here on Saturday.

Sharma started the third round in a whirlwind manner with four birdies in first six holes as he threatened to shoot a real low number but lost momentum thereafter as he bogeyed on the ninth, 12th and 15th and picked only one birdie to finish with the modest score.

Sharma is now eight-under 208 and was tied 14th, although a lot of players were to yet to finish the round on the moving day. Sharma's earlier rounds were 70-68.

 

Gaganjeet Bhullar, who made the cut on Friday, added a disappointing 76 and at one-over 217 he is tied 71st. SSP Chawrasia had missed the cut on Friday.

Meanwhile, Matt Wallace surged into contention with a brilliant course record of 63 to earn the clubhouse lead.

Callum Shinkwin was in lead at 15-under after 17 holes and one shot behind him was Sergio Garcia at 14-under and also had one to play.

James Morrison, who was leading overnight with Shinkwin, was 12-under after 15 alongside Nicolai Hojgaard who had one to play. Wallace and Steven Brown had finished and were 11-under.

Wallace, a four-time European Tour winner who just about made the weekend at two-under par, soared to the top of the leaderboard by Saturday afternoon. He had ten birdies and one dropped shot in his third round at The International.

Wallace looked set for an early flight home after a first round of three-over par but turned it around with a five-under 67 on Friday to make the cut.

He got the third round off to a lightning start with six birdies on the front nine and, despite a bogey at the tenth, picked up further shots at the 12th, 13th 15th and last to set the target at 11-under for the tournament.

Wallace also has a new man on the bag this week following his split with long term caddie Dave McNeilly last month.

McNeilly and Wallace had been together since 2017 and enjoyed all four European Tour victories together but the Englishman has turned to Jonathan Smart, who helped Danny Willett become 2016 Masters Tournament champion.