PGTI Championship: Udayan Mane Takes Two-Shot Lead with Strong 68 on Day 3
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Synopsis
Udayan Mane impressively secured a two-shot lead at the Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship 2025 with a four-under 68 on day three, totaling 14-under 202. Mane's resilience shines through as he aims to end a lengthy victory drought.
Key Takeaways
- Udayan Mane leads with 14-under 202.
- He shot a four-under 68 on day three.
- Khalin Joshi remains in second place.
- Abhinav Lohan is in third with nine-under 207.
- Final round focuses on smart shot-making.
Ahmedabad, April 11 (NationPress) Olympian Udayan Mane delivered an impressive four-under 68 to secure a two-shot advantage, totaling 14-under 202 after the third round of the INR 2 crore Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship 2025, currently taking place at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad.
Based in Pune, Udayan Mane (69-65-68), a holder of 12 titles and a former PGTI Order of Merit champion, demonstrated resilience on Friday, increasing his lead by one shot despite an early double-bogey. The 34-year-old golfer, who also secured an eagle, recorded five birdies and a bogey, positioning himself favorably to break a victory drought lasting over three years.
Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi (70-65-69), another ex-PGTI No. 1 and six-time titleholder, carded a 69 with four birdies and a bogey, maintaining second place and his aspirations of ending a two-year winless streak.
In third place was Faridabad’s Abhinav Lohan (68), who concluded the day at nine-under 207, while Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema (70) trailed by one shot in fourth position.
Varun Parikh from Ahmedabad recorded a 69, tying for eighth place at five-under 211.
The swirling wind posed challenges for Udayan Mane early on, leading to a double-bogey on the second hole. However, he bounced back with five birdies until the 12th hole, showcasing remarkable drives and tee shots, including a 30-foot conversion on the seventh.
Despite a bogey on the 13th, Mane rebounded with a stellar drive and a chip-in eagle on the 14th, finishing five-under on the four par-5s for the round.
Mane, reflecting on his experience at his former home course, stated, “After the early double-bogey, I reminded myself that I know this course well and I’m playing well, so I just need to play the shot and not the situation. That’s how I got going.”
He added, “The eagle on the 14th was a major momentum-gainer for me. I produced a great drive there, probably my longest drive of the day. After an equally good second shot on the 14th, I played the perfect chip from six yards that found the hole.”
“The wind was slightly less than round two but it was swirling a lot more and that wasn’t easy to deal with,” he commented.
“It’s always fun playing along with Khalin in the same group. It reminds me of our junior days, since we competed a lot against each other growing up and there are many memories we have together.”
“In the final round, it will be all about keeping it simple, making fairways and greens and playing smart shots keeping the situation in mind.”
Yuvraj Sandhu (72), Sachin Baisoya (70), and Ajeetesh Sandhu (72) were tied for fifth place at seven-under 209.
