Hua Hin, Dec 19 (NationPress) Shaurya Bhattacharya has made a remarkable leap in the standings with an impressive 6-under 65 during the third round of the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School, now tied for second place at the Lake View Resort & Golf Club. Starting the day in a tied 15th position, Bhattacharya followed his earlier rounds of 70 and 67 to accumulate a total of 11-under for the tournament.

This promising 22-year-old golfer highlighted his round with an incredible chip-in on consecutive holes on the back nine, achieving an eagle on the 15th and a birdie on the 16th. Bhattacharya is now just one stroke behind the unexpected leader, Tomohiro Ishizaka from Japan.

Ishizaka, who earned his spot in this week’s Final Stage through a pre-qualifying event, delivered a stellar performance with a 7-under 64 on the C&D course, establishing a lead of 12-under. He holds a narrow advantage over Bhattacharya and Mexico’s Roberto Lebrija (67), with Korean amateur Minchan Kim trailing by another stroke after a 68.

India’s Shubham Jaglan, who was the overnight leader, fell to tied 10th at 7-under after a 73, which included a costly double bogey on the final 18th hole. Despite this setback, Jaglan remains well-positioned as he heads into the final two rounds, five shots behind the leader.

Reflecting on his performance, Bhattacharya commented, “It was a pretty good round. The wind was lighter today compared to the previous days, and I had a strong back nine,” he noted. “Chipping in on two consecutive holes was a nice touch. Overall, I struck the ball well and made some critical putts.”

Having secured two victories on the Professional Golf Tour of India this season and making his sole Asian Tour appearance at the Bharath Classic, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and IGPL, Bhattacharya emphasized that his driving and approach play contributed to many birdie opportunities. “I drove the ball exceptionally well today — probably hit nearly every fairway — which allowed for numerous birdie chances,” he stated.

This week, two courses are being utilized at the scenic venue in Hua Hin, with all four players leading the leaderboard competing on the C&D layout during the third round. The field will be narrowed down to the top 70 and ties after 72 holes, with the leading 35 at the end of Sunday earning coveted Asian Tour cards for the 2026 season.

Several other Indian players are also in contention for a Tour card. Honey Baisoya registered a 68 to position himself at 5-under and tied 20th, while Kartik Singh (70) and Khalin Joshi (68) are tied 36th at 3-under.

S Chikkarangappa’s 67 elevated him to 2-under and tied 46th with Ajeetesh Sandhu (69). Rashid Khan, after a 73, is tied 70th and must maintain his position to advance to the fifth and final round.

Viraj Madappa (72) and Sachin Baisoya (76) are tied 119th, while Yuvraj Singh (73) and Pukhraj Singh Gill (73) sit tied 128th, necessitating strong performances to break into the top 70 for the final round of the Q-School.