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DAY 2
DAY 1

October 27th 2012, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: In-form Gaganjeet Bhullar of India continued to sparkle at the US$6.1 million CIMB Classic as he charged into contention with a third round of six-under-par 65 on Saturday.

With two Asian Tour victories under his belt this season, the 24-year-old Bhullar ended the day in equal 10th place on 11-under-par 202, tying the likes of 14-time Major champion Tiger Woods and inaugural CIMB champion Ben Crane.

He will enter the final day trailing joint leaders Bo Van Pelt, who shot a stunning 62, and Robert Garrigus by five shots at the Mines Resort and Golf Club.

The talented Indian, currently fifth on the Order of Merit, peppered the flags with sharp iron play as he rolled in seven birdies including four on a trot from eighth hole in the event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGA Tour.

His only blemish came on 12 but Bhullar remained bullish of his title hopes as he chases the top prize of US$1.3 million.

“I hit the ball good and pretty close but the lucky charm was my putter. The game plan was pretty simple, I hit all 14 fairways and hit 18 greens in regulation. I told myself to keep hitting fairways and be calm and patient on the greens,” he said.

“It always inspires me when you play in such big tournaments and see your name on the leaderboard. It is a good feeling and it gives you goose bumps. It is a star studded field and everybody is trying to win the tournament,” added Bhullar.

He is not feeling the effects of playing in his ninth straight tournament on the Asian Tour and is aiming for a final round charge and a debut victory in the CIMB Classic.

“I always say golf is a funny game and anything is possible. Guys are shooting 59 and 61 so you never know. The guys on the top have won so many tournaments internationally so they know how it feels being inside the ropes,” he said.

With the heat scorching the course at the Mines Resort, Bhullar put his experience of playing in Malaysia to good use as he stayed hydrated and calm in the humidity. “You have to be careful of what you eat. You can’t eat junk food in this type of weather and drink lots of water.”

Title holder Bo Van Pelt of the United States charged to the top of the US$6.1 million CIMB Classic after a spectacular nine-under-par 62 saw him tie overnight leader Robert Garrigus in the third round on Saturday.

Van Pelt, who arrived for his defence in top form following a win in the Perth International last week, flirted with golf’s magical 59 as he was 11 under par through 17 holes. But he disappointingly dropped a double bogey on the 18th hole at the Mines Resort and Golf Club.

Garrigus overcame a sluggish start by finishing with three closing birdies for a 69 and shared the lead on 16-under-par 197 in the co-sanctioned Asian Tour and PGA Tour event.

World number two Tiger Woods worked up the large crowds by tying for the lead briefly with an outward 30 but his challenge wilted under the Malaysian heat as he settled for a 69, dropping three bogeys and one double bogey to end the day five shots back.

South African Jbe Kruger, third on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, kept himself in the title hunt with a 69 putting him two strokes back while India’s rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar fired a fine 65 for tied 10th place alongside Woods.

“Obviously, disappointing to finish with a double but I look back on the 17 and a half holes I played, and, you know, hopefully that will carry over into tomorrow, not the last half,” said the 37-year-old Van Pelt.

“I was like seven back going into the day, so I dug a pretty big hole. Felt like you're going to need at least one really special round to try to give yourself a chance. I don't think I missed a fairway on the front nine. My irons were pretty sharp, and the putter, I had been close all week, and today they were going in. They weren't burning the edge,” he added.

While a mistake at the greenside bunker on 18 spoilt his hopes for a 59, Van Pelt, ranked 23rd in the world, lamented missed birdie opportunities on several holes. “I had obviously never had that good a chance to shoot a 59 before, and to be honest, I'll probably look back on it and think about the third hole (par five). I had a five iron in from the middle of the fairway and didn't make birdie. I'll look back at 15, I'm 30 yards from the green with an easy pitch and don't make it. Those are the holes that cost me more than 18,” he said.

Two opening bogeys wiped out Garrigus’ two-shot overnight lead almost immediately but the 34-year-old American battled back gamely. “I must have been tired or something,” he said of his start. “Didn't really have my golf swing that much today. I hit some bad shots, hit some bad putts, but sucked it up coming down there in the last.”

Woods had the large crowds following his group in a frenzy after he sank five birdies in his opening eight holes. As the birdies dried up, the American superstar made far too many errors, including a tee shot into the water for a double bogey on 14 and a three putt bogey on 17.

“The back nine I made too many mistakes. I kept making bad decisions and bad swings,” lamented Woods. “I’m going to have to shoot a low one tomorrow. Something similar to what Bo did. The problem with being this far back, I'm going to need help. A great round tomorrow might not win it.”

The slightly built Kruger hung around the leaderboard with an inward 33 giving him a realistic shot at the US$1.3 million top prize on Sunday.

“Concentration, as always. It's probably the main thing. I find if I take a second or two longer, I know I can concentrate a bit better. I just started to do that,” said the South African on his better fortunes in the back nine.

“One shot at a time. We'll see tomorrow. I've been hitting it probably as good as I've been hitting it the last four or five months. So I'm actually feeling confident.”