Olmo keeps Mexican flag flying

Pablo del Olmo kept the Mexican flag flying high with a three-stroke sole lead after the third round at the Rs 1.38 crore Royal Challenge Indian Open golf tournament in Delhi on Saturday.

The love affair between Olmo and the Delhi Golf Club continued for third day in running as the 34-year old displayed some brilliant golf for a 5-under 67.

Olmo had six birdies and two bogies for the day and could have finished better had he not missed another birdie on the 18th.

"I am very happy. I was very lucky to have got the breaks I got, it seemed as if some eagle caught the ball and threw it back on the fairway," he said.

Sharing the second spot at an overall 11-under 205 were Mardan Mamat of Singapore and South African Keith Horne who both turned in a card of 70.

Horne said he had a frustrating day at office.

"I kept missing the fairways and did not give myself a good chance.

"Most of the time I was defending," the South African said.

Mamat, who had an eagle on the par-5 14th, seemed to settle for the second position.

"These are very hard courses. I did not have any particular plan. I played my own game and took things as they came," the Singaporean said.

Among the Indians, Mukesh Kumar retained his joint seventh spot with a card of 71 while Firoz Ali jumped to the lone 12th spot at 211 with a 69.

But the biggest mover among the home contenders was Digvijay Singh whose 67 took him to shared 13th position.

After an ordinary first two rounds, the Indian had a stupendous outing with eight birdies.

The final score would have been better but was spoilt by a bogey on the ninth and a double bogey at the 11th.

"My putting was very good today. That's what was missing in the early two rounds," said Digvijay who revealed that he was having sleepless nights with a 'tight back' and was coping with the help of physiotherapy.

American Clay Devers, who was in the lone second spot after the second round, slipped to seventh place with a 73.

Also falling were Greg Hanrahan, second place finisher at the Caltex Masters last week, who carded 75, former champion Vijay Kumar (75) and local lad Shamim Khan (77).