Nakajima leads by 2 after third spherical in India

NEW DEHLI — Japanese golfer Keita Nakajima shot a bogey-free, 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead at DP World India Championship after the third spherical Saturday, shifting in sight of his second title on the European tour.

The 25-year-old Nakajima, a former top-ranked newbie, has two European Ryder Cup stars as his nearest challengers with Tommy Fleetwood (69) in second place and Shane Lowry (69) a stroke again in third.

No. 2-ranked Rory McIlroy, the principle attraction at Delhi Golf Membership, shot 68 and was in a tie for fifteenth place, seven strokes off the lead heading into the ultimate spherical.

“I am in all probability two photographs too far behind to have a practical likelihood,” McIlroy mentioned.

Nakajima birdied 4 of his first eight holes after which three in a row beginning at No. 12 over a mixed 70 toes to leap away from then-leader Fleetwood. He parred his approach residence to retain the lead in his bid for a primary title on the tour since March 2024 on the Hero Indian Open.

He mentioned the key to his good third spherical was with the ability to watch his enjoying companion, Lowry.

“I like his swing tempo,” Nakajima mentioned, “and I copied him. In order that’s why my swing [was] higher than yesterday. And mindset was nice.”

Fleetwood, who held the in a single day lead, birdied two of his first three holes and the par-5 No. 8. His solely bogey got here on the seventeenth after three-putting from 30 toes, however he made amends with a birdie on the final to make it into the ultimate group.

“Keita will not be far sufficient forward the place he is utterly in management,” mentioned Fleetwood, who received the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour in August and was the highest factors scorer for Europe in its Ryder Cup victory final month. “Simply go into tomorrow, get pleasure from it. Remaining group is at all times nice. You have to get pleasure from these moments. You do not know when they’ll come once more.”