Play Stalled in Round 3, SSP Chowrasia Shares Lead at Indian Open

A three-way lead.

SSP Chawrasia in action during the third round of the Indian Open. (Photo: Indian Open)

Title holder SSP Chawrasia stayed on course to defend his crown as he shared the lead with Spain's Carlos Pigem and England's Eddie Pepperell after the unfinished third round of the Hero Indian Open at the DLF golf Course on Friday.

Chawrasia and Pepperell were one-under, while Pigem was four-under through 11 holes to take their total to six-under at the Gary Player designed course.

The 38-year-old from Kolkata was leading by one stroke after the unfinished second round on Thursday, while Pepperell (69,70) and Malaysia's Danny Chia (70,69) also had joined him at the top after completing their second round this morning.

Carlos Pigem in action at the Indian Open. (Photo: Indian Open)

Chawrasia, who started the third round in the afternoon after 66 golfers completed their round this morning, dropped a bogey in the second hole before birding the fourth hole and ninth hole.

I stuck to the same game plan that I have had for the first two rounds. I just want to hit straight, keep the ball in play and keep giving myself chances all the time. I am happy that I managed to do that, despite the bogey I dropped. On this course, a few misses (on the green) are bound to happen, but one cannot think about them.

SSP Chawrasia

Among other Indians, 2015 Champion Anirban Lahiri was three-under at 16th hole to be tied 19th before play was suspended due to darkness, while Chiragh Kumar and Subhankar Sharma brought home a matching 71 to share the 23rd spot.

Shiv Kapur, Rahil Gangjee, Mukesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Sujjan Singh, C Muniyappa and Jeev Milkha Singh were among the prominent Indian names to have missed the cut.