Hong Kong, Oct 24 India’s Anirban Lahiri carded a five-under 66 to share the third-round lead at the Link Hong Kong Open, putting himself in contention for his first worldwide title since 2015 ahead of Sunday’s final round.
Lahiri, a former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, reached 14-under, joining American John Catlin, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and American youngster Caleb Surratt at the top of the USD 2 million event at Hong Kong Golf Club.
Lahiri’s last Asian Tour victory, which was his seventh Asian Tour win, came at the Hero Indian Open in 2015. The same year he won the Order of Merit before turning his focus towards the PGA Tour. More than a decade later, he has an opportunity to end that long wait against a strong international field.
Lahiri made five birdies and dropped just one shot in his third round, matching Catlin’s tally of six birdies against one bogey. Pieters shot 65, while Surratt returned a 67 to join the leading group.
“It’s hard to say,” Lahiri said when asked about the winning score.
“Going to bed last night, I would have thought I had to get closer to 18 or 19 today, if the course played the way it did the first two days. But today the course played completely different and tomorrow will probably be a tougher version of what we saw today.”
Lahiri also praised Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung, his playing partner in the third round, who remained in contention despite a difficult day. Cheung shot 71 to sit two strokes behind the leaders alongside Finland’s Kalle Samooja, who produced the day’s best round of 63.
Catlin, the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, stayed alongside Lahiri after a 65 that included a crucial sand save on the 18th. The American is seeking his first Asian Tour victory since the 2024 Saudi Open.
(PTI News)
