In a historic debut for a shotgun start on The International Series, Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann is riding shotgun in style at the International Series India presented by DLF.
Indeed, Niemann leads International Series India with a dazzling performance during the third round, reaching an impressive seven under par at the DLF Golf and Country Club after just eight holes, before darkness signalled an early close to day three.
Having secured a two-shot lead after the second round, Niemann now appears in full control as he faces off against determined rivals. In his group, Japan’s Kazuki Higa trails by one shot, while American Ollie Schniederjans is three shots adrift.
Niemann’s steady play – including a timely birdie on the third hole and consistent pars thereafter – has not only captivated spectators but also placed him in a commanding position ahead of tomorrow’s play.
Persistent fog over the course led organisers to adopt the shotgun start format for rounds three and four, a pragmatic decision ensuring the tournament reaches its conclusion on Sunday despite the adverse conditions.
With play set to resume at 7.30 am tomorrow, weather permitting, and the final round slated to begin at 11.10 am, all eyes will remain fixed on the leader as he seeks to maintain his momentum.
Niemann is now chasing back-to-back titles on The International Series, having already triumphed at the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in December.
Meanwhile, Australian Travis Smyth and Spanish Eugenio Chacarra find themselves joint fourth, four shots behind the leader, and American Bryson DeChambeau – the current US Open champion and one of this week’s star attractions – lags six shots behind.
This week’s inaugural US$ 2 million event marks a significant milestone as the first event of the season on The International Series and the second stop on the Asian Tour, following last week’s Smart Infinity Philippine Open.
It is also noteworthy that, while this is the first time a shotgun start has been used on The International Series, similar measures were previously seen on the Asian Tour during last year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters due to delays caused by Typhoon Krathon.
For further details on The International Series, please visit www.internationalseries.com.
