Golden Green looking capable of causing an Indian upset

Story so far

Thunder delays mean the Indian Open is behind schedule going into the final day, so round three will need to be completed early on Sunday morning at DLF Golf and Country Club, before round four commences.

Three players are tied for the lead at six under par – Carlos Pigem, S.S.P Chawrasia and Eddie Pepperell – all having finished 11 holes of their third round. Pigem (125-1), Chawrasia (80-1) and Pepperell (250-1) were all available at fancy ante-post prices.

Pigem and Pepperell are European Tour maidens, but Chawrasia has won three times. A fourth European Tour triumph in India is up for grabs for Chawrasia, who won this title 12 months ago at New Delhi Golf Club.

Bookmakers have Chawrasia clear favourite. Pre-tournament market leader Anirban Lahiri, well supported from an early best price of 10-1, still has a slim chance of success. Lahiri has two easy holes to play in round three and two birdies would put him level par going into round four.

Leaderboard

-6 Carlos Pigem (through 47 holes), S.S.P Chawrasia (47), Eddie Pepperell (47)
-5 Gavin Green (53)
-4 Michael Hoey (48), David Horsey (47)
-3 Scott Jamieson (50), Gregory Havret (50)
-1 Peter Uihlein (54), Paul Peterson (48), Matteo Manassero (47)

Best prices

14-5 S.S.P Chawrasia, 9-2 E Pepperell, 11-2 C Pigem, 9 D Horsey, 14 G Green, 20 G Havret, M Hoey, 22 S Jamieson, 40 P Uihlein, M Manassero, P Peterson, 66 bar

Final-round advice

There is no great urge to support either of the three leaders at short prices going into the final day of the Indian Open. Carlos Pigem and Eddie Pepperell are European Tour maidens, while S.S.P Chawrasia is a powder-puff driver who relies on perfect short-game work to be competitive.

And this trio face 25 holes on a long, physically and mentally demanding layout on Sunday – rounds are taking an age to complete – and they may start wilting over the closing stages.

The two most appealing prices at this stage are the 14-1 about Gavin Green and the 40-1 about Peter Uihlein. Green is a promising youngster who is improving all the time, and his Saturday performance at the DLF was exceptionally good.

Green has made eight birdies through 17 holes of round three, and he signed off with a hugely morale-boosting chip-in birdie at the 17th. He has birdied the par-five 18th in rounds one and two, and if he can deliver another when play resumes on Sunday morning, the pride of Malaysia will sit six under par going into the final round.

Green, a successful amateur Stateside, looks like a 23-year-old going places. He has tightened up in contention previously, but there has been a swagger and a maturity at the DLF which hints he may be coming of age.

Bookmakers are being dismissive of Green with 14-1 quotes, while Uihlein is also getting the brush off. The American produced a flawless third-round 68 to move from three over par to one under, and that should leave him in touch with the lead when everyone has completed 54 holes. He has the significant advantage of a lie-in and being able to prepare properly for the final round.

Uihlein is still in the hunt, but Green may be five shots ahead of him when they start round four, so the rising star looks the better outright option.

Recommendation
G Green
1pt each-way 14-1 Betway, Hills