Saptak Talwar close to top-10 finish in France

Pléneuf (France), June 28 (IANS) India’s Saptak Talwar had three each of birdies and bogeys in his even par third round of 70 as he stayed in the running for a Top-10 finish at the Blot Play9 on the Hotel Planner Tour. Talwar, leader on the DP World PGTI Tour rankings this season, is now Tied-12th with one more round to go.

While the topper on the DP World PGTI Tour gets a berth into the DP World Tour the following season, the Top-15 from Hotel Planner also get a berth into the main Tour, which means Talwar has two pathways. He is inside the Top-20 in Hotel Planner rankings called Road to Mallorca.

Talwar has been dividing his time between the PGTI and Hotel Planner Tour. His earlier rounds were 68-67 on the Par-70 course and he is now 5-under for 54 holes.

John Gough will take a solo lead into the final round of the Blot Play9, after carding a four under par round of 66 on day three in France.

The Englishman went bogey-free to reach 12 under par in Pléneuf, with home favourite Maxence Giboudot and Spain’s Joseba Torres two strokes back on ten under par.

Starting the third round in a share of the lead, Gough failed to make a gain on his first eight holes, those behind him making the most of the moving day to push ahead.

Gough is yet to secure his maiden HotelPlanner Tour victory but has enjoyed decent outings at Blot Play9 in the past, including a fourth-placed finish at last year’s edition in Brittany, where he carded a final round of 63 to earn his joint highest finish of the season.

Giboudot birdied two of his final three holes to sign for a seven under par 63, the joint lowest round of the week. Meanwhile, Torres mixed four birdies with an eagle, dropping just one shot in a round of 65.

South African Bryce Easton and Spain’s Pablo Ereño share fourth position on eight under. Dane Frederik Kjettrup and American Charles Huntzinger both sit one shot further back on seven under.

–IANS

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