Chandigarh's Yuvraj Sandhu seized control of the Victorious Choice presents Jaipur Open 2025 powered by Shubhashish Homes with a determined performance in the third round on Thursday. The PGTI ranking leader carded a four-under 66 at the Rambagh Golf Club to establish a commanding three-shot lead with a total score of 16-under 194.
Sandhu's Charge Towards History
Starting the day in second place and one shot behind the leader, Yuvraj Sandhu (65-63-66) produced a round featuring an eagle, four birdies, and two bogeys. This strong showing in the penultimate round puts him firmly on course for a remarkable achievement. Playing in Jaipur after four years, Sandhu is now in pursuit of his sixth PGTI title this season. A victory here would see him match the PGTI record for most titles in a single season, a feat set by Manu Gandas back in 2022.
Round Three Drama and Shifting Leaderboard
The day witnessed significant movement on the leaderboard. Kushal Singh (64-63-70), who held the halfway lead by one shot, had a mixed day. His round of 70, punctuated by four birdies and two costly double-bogeys, saw him slip to second place at 13-under 197.
Meanwhile, Badal Hossain of Bangladesh (65-67-66) posted a flawless 66 to make a significant move. His bogey-free effort propelled him four spots up the standings into third place at 12-under 198.
A Champion's Mindset and Local Connection
Sandhu's round was a testament to resilience. He began with a bogey on the first hole but quickly regrouped. "The bogey on the first was a good wake-up call for me," Sandhu said. He made steady progress with birdies on the third and 12th holes, the latter a tap-in. A highlight was his chip-in for eagle on the eighth. Despite a second bogey on the 15th, he finished strongly with birdies on the final two Par-5s, the 17th and 18th.
"I didn't convert as many putts as I would've liked to but my hitting was top-notch today," Sandhu added, crediting his improved ball-control to work with his coach Gurbaaz Mann. The venue holds special significance for him, as he played his first PGTI event here as an amateur in 2018.
Among the local professionals, Hemendra Choudhary (three-under 207) was placed tied 28th, while Prakhar Asawa (even-par 212) ended the day tied 42nd. The stage is now set for a thrilling final round where Yuvraj Sandhu will aim to convert his lead into a historic victory.
