Pune, Oct 30 (NationPress) At the conclusion of round three of The Poona Club Open 2025, the leader of the PGTI Order of Merit and the pre-tournament favourite, Yuvraj Sandhu (65-67-65), delivered an impressive performance with a six-under 65, the best score of the day, overcoming challenging conditions after overnight rainfall to establish a two-shot lead with a total of 16-under 197.

Shaurya Bhattacharya (69-63-67), who has already claimed a victory on the PGTI this year, maintained his competitive edge with a 67, placing him second at 14-under 199.

Former PGTI No. 1 Manu Gandas (67-69-66) carded a 66, finishing the penultimate round in third at 11-under 202.

Shivendra Singh Sisodia and Jairaj Singh Sandhu completed the top five, tied for fourth at eight-under 205.

Due to the overnight rain, play commenced with a two-hour delay, starting at 10 am local time on Thursday.

The current PGTI Order of Merit champion Veer Ahlawat held a tied sixth position at seven-under 206.

Pune's own Rohan Dhole Patil was the highest-ranked local professional, tied for 20th at two-under 211.

Yuvraj Sandhu, who has secured four victories this year, began his round with a bogey on the third hole but quickly rebounded with seven birdies over the next twelve holes. The 28-year-old concluded the day with a bogey and a birdie on the final three holes. He made two remarkable long birdie conversions, drove the green on the Par-4 ninth hole, and scored birdies on all three Par-5 holes.

Yuvraj commented, “The conditions were challenging due to the overnight rain. However, my recent golf experiences in Asia have made me used to such wet conditions, which worked to my advantage. Despite the rain, the greens held up well, and I appreciate the course staff for their efforts.”

“The delay allowed me some extra rest, contributing to my performance. After a shaky start, I regained my rhythm from the fifth hole onward and maintained that momentum until the end.”

“Playing alongside Shaurya is enjoyable as we have known each other for a long time, having seen each other's journey from amateur to professional. I look forward to sharing the final round with him in the leading group.”

The 22-year-old Shaurya Bhattacharya, currently ranked fourth on the PGTI, also faced an early bogey on the first hole but made a strong comeback with five birdies following that.