Junior golf: Saatvic leads as top seven players separated by three strokes

Hyderabad: The stage is set for a thrilling finale on the IGU junior circuit, with just three strokes separating the top seven players. A crowded leaderboard on the penultimate day has turned the IGU Western India Junior Boys Golf Championship at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune into an absolute shootout heading into the final round.

Leader Saatvic Kumar Singh had an ordinary day at the office, carding an even-par 72 to cling to a one-shot lead with a three-day total of seven-under-par 209. The chasing trio of Nilofer Sivamoorthy (68), Vihaan Jain (69) and Shaurya Dagar (69) was tied for second at six-under 210.

Last year’s winner Shashank Sachin Gadre roared back into contention with a three-under 69 to sit a further stroke back in fifth place, while Ayan Dubey (71) and Aditya Misra (67) were tied for sixth at four-under-par 212.

Unlike in the first two rounds, 14-year-old Saatvic struggled a bit with his iron play and on the greens. The Hyderabadi had two bogeys and a double bogey six on the sixth hole.

However, he holed the putts that mattered, with birdies on the second, fourth, ninth, where he missed an eagle, and the 16th hole.

In Category ‘C’ (11-12 years), Sohraab Singh Talwar (67) took a runaway seven-shot lead over Kabir Goyal (75) with a cumulative score of four-under-par 212.

Leading scores (after 54 holes):
Category ‘A’ & ‘B’ combined: 209: Saatvic Kumar Singh (68, 69, 72); 210: Nilofer Sivamoorthy (72, 70, 68), Vihaan Jain (72, 69, 69), Shaurya Dagar (75, 66, 69); 211: Shashank Sachin Gadre (71, 71, 69); 212: Ayan Dubey (69, 72, 71), Aditya Misra (72, 73, 67).

Category ‘C’ (11-12 years):

212: Sohraab Singh Talwar (75, 70, 67); 219: Kabir Goyal (73, 71, 75); 221: Drona Singh Dhull (73, 75, 73); 225: Vivaan Kudale (79, 75, 71); 226: Shan Alvi (78, 72, 76).