Vijay Kumar well-placed to
win Indian Open

An Indian on top of the leaderboard in an Asian PGA event in India is something the Asian golf community is getting used to more and more. With seven of the last eight Asian PGA events before this Royal Challenge Indian Open held in India having been won by Indians, an Indian is naturally an overwhelming favourite for this prestigious title.

True enough, Vijay Kumar, who has won everything there is to win on the Indian domestic tour, has now set himself for the biggest prize of his career -- an Indian Open title on the Asian PGA Tour. When the dust settled down at the end of 54 holes and three days at the Royal Challenge Indian Open, Vijay Kumar was perched on top with a round of 68, which, when added to his 70 and 66 on the first two days, put him at 12-under 204.

He was a clear three strokes ahead of his nearest rival, Canadian veteran Rick Gibson, who is at nine-under 207 after a third round card of 67.

Tied for the third spot is the trio of Mardan Mamat of Singapore, Soe Kyaw Naing of Myanmar and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who are all at seven-under 209.

Dean Alaban of Australia and India's Digvijay Singh, brother-in-law of former Indian Open champion, Jyoti Randhawa, are tied at sixth.

Andrew Pitts of United States, who looked the most likely candidate to challenge Vijay Kumar, slipped on the back nine with a forgettable stretch between the 12th and 14th holes, where he dropped four strokes. Pitts is tied for eighth with local Vinod Kumar, who continued his tryst with the number five. Five-under on the first day, he was five-over on the second and once again five-under today to be five-under for the tournament.

Pre-tournament favourites Harmeet Kahlon, slipped with a two-over 74 and is now languishing in tied 48th place with two-over 218, while another favourite Arjun Singh, with a 74, is now tied for 38th at one-over 217.

Going by comments of some of those behind him, Vijay Kumar should start as the big favourite on the final day. Both Rick Gibson, lying second, and Thaworn Wiratchant, lying joint third with Mamat and Soe Kyaw, admitted the it will difficult to catch Vijay.

Vijay Kumar, who yesterday revealed that he shaved only three times a week because of his beliefs, said: "I was hitting better yesterday, but definitely putted better today. I came in with a relaxed mind this morning."

Vijay burnt the course with superb front nine play for which he was four-under. He sank a monstrous 18-footer on the second and then a ten-footer on the sixth besides two short ones on the first and eighth holes. On the ninth, he holed a 15-footer to save par after going into the trees on the left side.

On the par three 12th, he hit a beautiful tee shot and landed within six feet, which he duly holed. He parred the next five holes before bogeying the18th.

"On the 18th, I was almost into the bushes. I chipped out and then from the bunker had a good shot. But something went wrong in my mind and I narrowly missed the putt for a bogey."

It was Vijay's first bogey since the 11th hole on the first day, which means he went without a bogey for 42 holes.

On his prospects for the final day, Vijay, a former Indian PGA champion said, "Tomorrow, again, I have to be relaxed, and play my golf. I will attack whenever I have the opportunity. Here at the DGC, a three shot lead is very good. I have won two tournaments here before, and hope to add a third tomorrow."

Winner of the Philippine Open last week, the 40-year-old veteran Gibson was the other one to watch on the third day. Three birdies on the front nine saw him go seven-under and then he himself admitted he saw Vijay's score and made a charge.

"I was aggressive to start with, but then backed off a bit in the middle. When I saw that Vijay was at 13 under, I turned it on again. I hit a lot of greens today and converted all the birdies."

Gibson's round of 67 looks all the more impressive considering he had 32 putts.

"I wasn't confident with my putter at all today," he said.

About Vijay's play, Gibson, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit back in 1991 and then moved to the Japanese Tour, added, "Vijay is playing excellent golf, and will be tough to beat, especially if he plays like he did today. I have to be more aggressive tomorrow to have a chance."

Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand could have been somewhat closer to the top two but for his bogey on the fourth and double bogey on the sixth. It was on the back nine that he caught fire with birdies on the 11th, 15th, 16th and 18th.

"On the 6th hole, I was a bit disturbed, and I three putted on the 4th hole. It is going to be impossible to catch Vijay tomorrow, especially here on this course. I will play for second place."

The big fall today was that of Pitts. Giving Vijay a charge, he was in contention till the par three 12th. Pitts went into the greenside bunker from where hit a great shot to within three feet but he missed the putt for a bogey. At the same time, Vijay holed a birdie to take the gap between them from three to five in a matter of one hole.

On the 13th, he went into the bunker once again before coming out well. But he missed the par putt from close. On the 14th he lost his ball with his second shot and ended with a double bogey. It was four strokes gone in three holes and suddenly Vijay was too far ahead.

When the day ended, Gibson was five-under and Vijay 12-under and the gap was seven.

Vinod Kumar' 67 was one of three such cards today and that was the best score in third round. Vinod had an eagle on the first, bogey on the sixth and birdie on the ninth. He had a bogey on the 12th, but then came a great stretch between 14th and 18th, when he birdied four holes, including the last three for a great day's work of 67.

Others with 67 today were Gibson and Liang Wern-Chong of China, who with two-under 214 is tied for 16th place.

Leading Scores: Round III:
204 - Vijay Kumar (Ind) (70, 66, 68);
207 - Rick Gibson (Can) (69, 71, 67);
209 - Mardan Mamat (Sin) (66, 73, 70), Soe Kyaw Naing (Myan) (72, 67, 70), Tharwon Wiratchand (Thai) (70, 71, 68);
210 - Dean Alaban (Aus) (69, 69, 72), Digvijay Singh (Ind) 72, 69, 69);
211 - Andrew Pitts (USA) (67, 70, 74), Vinod Kumar (IND) (67, 77, 67);
212 - Akio Sadakata (Jap) (68, 72, 72);
213 - Craig Kamps (RSA) (68, 71, 74); Danny Zarate (Phil) (71, 72, 70); Pablo del Olmo (Mex0 966, 74, 73), SSP Chaurasia (69, 75, 69); Thammanon Sriroj (Thai) (70, 68, 75);
214 - Clay Devers (USA) (75, 68, 71), Liang Wen-Chong (PRC) (71, 76, 67), Lin Chie Hsiang (Tpe) (72, 71, 71), Mike Cunning (USA) (71, 69, 74), Mo Joong Kyung (Kor) (68, 78, 68), Steve Jurgensen (USA) (69, 75, 70), Uttam Singh Mundy (Ind) (75, 70, 69); Aaron Meeks (USA) (73, 70, 72), Davinder Patel (Ind) (70, 73, 72), Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA) 70, 74, 71), Marciano Pucay (Phil) (72, 74, 69), Olle Nordberg (Swe) (70, 74, 71), Unho Park (Aus) (73, 68, 74).