Golf: Manu Gandas back in lead at Vooty Masters

Manu Gandas shot a resolute five-under 67 in the penultimate round to regain the lead at the inaugural Vooty Masters

Hyderabad: Manu Gandas shot a resolute five-under 67 in the penultimate round to regain the lead at the inaugural Vooty Masters at the Vooty Golf County in Vikarabad on Saturday.

Manu (63-68-67) was the first round leader, but slipped to second place on day two. He enjoyed a slender one-shot lead at a total of 18-under 198 after the third round in the Rs 1 crore event. Manu, currently placed second on the PGTI Order of Merit, thus raised hopes of bagging his fifth title of the season.

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That would see him equal the PGTI record for most wins in a season, currently held jointly by Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (2022), Gaganjeet Bhullar (2009) and Ashok Kumar (2006-07). Manu is now also in with a good chance of wresting the Order of Merit lead from Sandhu.

Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema (65-67-67), who was overnight third, moved to second position at 17-under 199 after he too shot an equally impressive 67 on day three. Mhow-based Om Prakash Chouhan (66-63-73), the second round leader, carded a sedate 73 on Saturday to drop down to third place at 14-under 202.

The 26-year-old Manu, who set the course record of 63 on day one, had a steady front-nine in round three making three birdies and a bogey. His birdies on the front-nine included a good up and down from the bunker on the fifth and a drive that found the par-4 seventh green. He drove the seventh green for the second day running.

Angad Cheema, currently 24th on the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings with three top-10s this season, will be the other main contender in the final round as he kept himself in the hunt with seven birdies and two bogeys on Saturday. Delhi’s Harshjeet Singh Sethie (68) and Noida’s Gaurav Pratap Singh (69) were placed tied fourth at 13-under 203. Ajeetesh Sandhu (70), one of the top names in the field, was tied 18th at seven-under 209.

PGTI Order of Merit leader and five-time winner this season Yuvraj Sandhu (73), was tied 29th at five-under 211. Fifteen-year-old Noida-based amateur Aarav D Shah (69), an Australian national, was placed tied 33rd at four-under 212.