Hero Indian Open: day three report

SSP Chawrasia leads by two shots from Siddikur Rahman in New Delhi

SSP Chawrasia has retained the lead of the Hero Indian Open after the third day. He has lead at the end of all three days.

Chawrasia is on 12 under; Siddikur Rahman, one of the day one co-leaders, is on 10 under. Australian Marcus Fraser lies third, on seven under.

Chawrasia opened up with two birdies, one from 5ft, the other from 15ft and added a third birdie on 13.

The only blemish so far from his 54 holes came on his 53rd. His 8-iron from the tee at the short 17th found a waste area behind two greenside. He escaped from this, but was 30ft from the pin and two putted for his first bogey of the tournament.

The tournament looks set up to be a two-way fight between SSP Chawrasia and Siddikur Rahman, but neither golfer is prepared to see it that way.

“The final round is always special so I will play aggressively,” Chawrasia . “I am not thinking that I’m playing match play. If anyone is coming closer, let them - I just want to focus on my own game."

Rahman is equally focussed: “Anything can happen in this game – I am looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully I can play the way I did on Thursday. I tried not to look too much at what SSP was doing today – I tried to focus on my own game and keep hitting the greens in regulation and make some birdie putts.”

Rahman hit three birdies in his 70, including one at the 18th, a hole he has birdied three times running in this tournament. Chawrasia has only birdied it once.

Australian Marcus Fraser played a bogey-free round of 67 to lie third.

The best round of the day came from Daniel Chopra, which moved him into a tie for fourth with Prayad Marksaeng. Chopra made four birdies and eagle on 18 in his bogey-free round.

Hero Indian Open leaderboard