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Shubhankar Sharma's third round at the Mauritius Open at the demanding La Reserve Links produced an eventful card featuring two eagles amid relentless wind and intermittent rain.
Sharma mixed two eagles, four birdies, five pars and seven bogeys in a roller-coaster round of 71, following up a gritty 69 the previous day that had ensured he safely made the cut. At 1-under after three rounds (74-69-71), Sharma was placed Tied-42nd, but remains optimistic of finishing the week strongly as he grows increasingly comfortable on a course he is playing for the first time. La Reserve Links has tested the field throughout the week, with constantly shifting conditions demanding precision, patience and adaptability. "This is an incredible course. It's already challenging, and when the wind gets up--as it often has--and then the rain comes and goes, it becomes an even bigger challenge. But that's the nature of golf on this beautiful island, " Sharma said. After a difficult opening round where he dropped three bogeys on par-5s, Sharma began to regain control in the second round, playing the long holes more sensibly with two birdies, a par and just one bogey. The real turnaround came on Saturday, when he capitalised superbly on scoring opportunities. On the par-5 fifth, Sharma unleashed a strong drive followed by a precise 6-iron, setting up a 15-foot eagle putt which he converted. He repeated the feat on the 12th, holing a 20-footer for his second eagle of the day. There was nearly a third on the 15th, but a 15-foot putt slid past, resulting in a birdie instead. "I actually had another eagle look on the 15th. It just didn't go in," Sharma said. The flashes of brilliance were countered by the course's unforgiving nature, as missed fairways and swirling winds punished even minor errors. Yet Sharma's ability to bounce back repeatedly highlighted a growing confidence--an important sign after a season that saw him lose his DP World Tour card before battling his way back through Qualifying School earlier this month. Now closing out the year on one of the Tour's most visually stunning yet exacting layouts, Sharma is focused on finishing positively. "I'm learning with every round. If I can put together a solid final day, it will be a good way to end the season," he said. While Sharma fought his own battle against the elements, the tournament lead remained fiercely contested. South Africa's Casey Jarvis and American Ryan Gerard shared the lead at 16-under after 54 holes, with France's Alexander Levy just one shot behind at 15-under. However, with conditions remaining unpredictable, no position appears secure heading into the final round. For Sharma, Sunday presents another opportunity--not just to climb the leaderboard, but to reinforce the resilience and momentum that have defined his comeback in recent weeks. (ANI)
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