CALLUM MACAULAY NOW ONLY THREE SHOTS OFF PACE IN INDIA

From Challenge Tour Press Officer
 Paul Symes
Callum Macaulay believes he is firmly in contention to win the Gujarat Kensville Challenge after a three under par round of 69 in tough conditions at Kensville Golf and Country Club moved him to within three shots off the lead, going into the final round in India.
The 28 year old former Scottish amateur champion from Tulliallan, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, carded four birdies and just one bogey in a round which included a superb save on the par five ninth hole, when he got up and down for par after his second shot, a six iron from 244 yards, carried into a water hazard behind the green.
“I was in a great position,” he said. “I had 244 yards to the flag, hit a six iron and it went through the green and into the water. I couldn’t believe it when I got up there and it was in the water, but I got it up and down for par and then stayed patient on the back nine and got a birdie at the last.
“That up and down kept my momentum going though, I was pretty annoyed that I went through the green. It literally went, from ball to finish, about 270 yards, a six iron. I’m lucky if I hit my driver 270, never mind the six iron! It’s just that you get very hard bounces out there and that was just one of them and it went the wrong way for me, but overall I’m delighted.”
While the conditions did not favour the Falkirk-born man on that occasion, he feels that the course is a good match for his game and, after finishing tied 11th here last year, is hopeful that he can go one step further and take the title.
“I feel great, I’m striking the ball well,” he continued. “I’ve been working hard on my game. I’ve been working on my fitness recently too and I’ve not felt tired at all on the course this week, and out here that’s a big thing. Hopefully I can keep doing the same things tomorrow, hole a few more putts and see what happens.
“It’s a course that I like and it’s similar kind of style to home, it’s brick hard and it’s windy so it maybe plays into my hands. There’s one day to go and if I can keep doing what I’m doing, hopefully I’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Chris Doak is six shots off the lead going into the final day after he remained level par thanks to a steady round of 72 on the Jeev Milkha Singh-designed course, while Raymond Russell was also tied 14th alongside his compatriot on level par after a two over par round of 74.

Gangjee one step closer to Gujarat glory

Rahil Gangjee took one more step towards securing victory on his Challenge Tour debut after a one over par round of 73 kept him in pole position heading into the final day of the Gujarat Kensville Challenge, where he is one shot clear of Dodge Kemmer and Max Kieffer on six under, writes Neil Ahern.The 33 year old began the day tied for the lead with his compatriot Shiv Kapur, but a blustery day on the tough Jeev Milkha Singh-designed Kensville Golf and Country Club course claimed many victims and Kapur was one of them, as he dropped to tied 11th with a six over par round of 78.
American Kemmer, on his Challenge Tour debut, and Germany’s Kieffer made hay in the tough conditions as they both carded two under par rounds of 70 to move into tied second place, while there were four players a shot further back in tied fourth.
Gangjee would become the second successive Indian, as well as the second successive Challenge Tour debutant, to win the Gujarat Kensville Challenge after Gaganjeet Bhullar triumphed in the inaugural event on his first appearance on the Tour last year.
The Calcutta man looked on course to establishing a commanding lead, as he was one under for the day when he stepped onto the 16th tee courtesy of birdies at the first, fourth, ninth and 15th holes, combined with bogeys at the second, fifth and seventh.
A bogey at the 16th, however, was followed by an untimely double-bogey at the 17th, where he four-putted after reaching the green in three.
“It was going OK until the 17th hole,” he said. “Then it started to go badly wrong. My first putt from just off the green rolled up the hill and picked up speed as soon as it got to the top, and rolled way past the hole. I thought my next putt was uphill, but it was a lot faster than any other putt I had today, and it ended up 25 feet from the hole. At that point, I felt so embarrassed – it felt like I was playing hockey!
“I’m still going to play positively on the last day, because it’s the only way I know how. If it’s going to be as firm as it was today, someone’s going to have to go really low to come through the field and overtake me.
“As Gary Player said, you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I’m probably going to have some nerves, because you’re not human if you don’t, but I’m now much more confident of controlling them.”
Kemmer, meanwhile, continues to dream of a winning Challenge Tour debut after he carded three birdies on the back nine to make up for his single bogey on the front nine and finish the day on five under par.
“Given the conditions out there today, I’ve got to be pleased with that round,” admitted the Californian. “Other than the sixth, I managed to keep the bogeys off my card, and a few birdies on the way in have put me into a pretty good position going into the last day.”
The 24 year old was thoroughly enjoying his first Challenge Tour experience and is keen to play more on the European circuit, something that would be made all the much easier with a win in India.
“I’ve got my Asian Tour card after coming through Qualifying last week,” he said. “But my main goal is to get onto The European Tour by the end of the season. I’m really enjoying my first Challenge Tour event, and I can definitely see myself playing in Europe for the next few years. I think it’d be a lot of fun.”
Kieffer is also chasing a first win on the Challenge Tour after finishing 57th in the Rankings in his first season last season, coming close to victory at the ALLIANZ Challenge de France, where he finished runner-up after losing a play-off against his compatriot Nicolas Meitinger.
The German had three birdies on the front nine, at the fourth, sixth and seventh holes whilst also bogeying the fifth to reach the turn in 34, before a bogey on the 10th was followed by a birdie on the 14th to leave him two under par for the day and five under for the tournament.
“It’s great to be in contention again,” said the 21 year old. “The last time was in France last May, when I lost in a play-off. I was a bit disappointed not to have got into contention again last season, but I’m really looking forward to the final day, and hopefully I can get the job done this time.”
Phillip Archer, Jens Dantorp, Andreas Hartø and Luke Goddard are the four players in tied fourth spot while Oskar Henningsson and Callum Macaulay are a shot further back.
THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
210 R Gangjee (Ind) 68 69 73
211 D Kemmer (USA) 69 72 70, M Kieffer (Ger) 70 71 70
212 J Dantorp (Swe) 70 68 74, A Hartø (Den) 73 70 69, L Goddard (Eng) 71 71 70, P Archer (Eng) 73 71 68
213 O Henningsson (Swe) 73 72 68, C Macaulay (Sco) 74 70 69
214 S Benson (Eng) 70 68 76,
215 S Kapur (Ind) 69 68 78, P Dwyer (Eng) 71 72 72, B Åkesson (Swe) 70 73 72,
216 J Gibb (Eng) 72 72 72, R Russell (Sco) 73 69 74, C Doak (Sco) 74 70 72, C Lloyd (Eng) 72 70 74, C Brazillier (Fra) 72 70 74
217 D Gaunt (Aus) 73 68 76, A Snobeck (Fra) 71 71 75, C Paisley (Eng) 72 70 75
218 B Parker (Eng) 71 73 74, C Hanson (Eng) 72 73 73, G Lockerbie (Eng) 69 69 80, H Bacher (Aut) 70 74 74
219 J Walters (RSA) 71 73 75, A Kumar (Ind) 75 70 74, M Ford (Eng) 72 71 76, S Engell Andersen (Ken) 75 69 75, B Barham (Eng) 71 72 76, M Carlsson (Swe) 71 73 75, J Hansen (Den) 77 71 71, P Uihlein (USA) 76 72 71
220 M Cryer (Eng) 73 73 74, B Ritthammer (Ger) 71 74 75, D Singh (Ind) 72 73 75, K Kumar (Ind) 73 73 74, S Tiley (Eng) 75 71 74
221 G Bhullar (Ind) 71 75 75, M Singh Pathania (Ind) 75 72 74, B An (Kor) 76 71 74
222 T Ferreira (RSA) 70 76 76, M Perera (Sri) 73 72 77, R Singh (Ind) 71 73 78, S Khan (Ind) 72 75 75, A Parr (Can) 74 72 76, V Kumar (Ind) 76 72 74
223 M Kumar (Ind) 72 73 78, B Evans (Eng) 71 77 75, A Lohan (Ind) 72 73 78
224 R Dinwiddie (Eng) 72 75 77, M Jaini (Ind) 70 77 77, E Kofstad (Nor) 77 71 76
225 F Praegant (Aut) 73 75 77
226 Å Nilsson (Swe) 76 72 78
227 S Pinckney (USA) 72 76 79, B Chapellan (Fra) 75 71 81, V Kumar (Ind) 75 71 81
231 A John (Ger) 71 77 83, A Sandhu (Ind) 72 76 83