Pepperell in three-way tie for Indian Open lead EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS England’s Eddie Pepperell stuck with his game plan to take his place in a three-way tie for the lead on a dramatic day at the Hero Indian Open. Pepperell, home favourite and defending champion S S P Chawrasia, and Spaniard Carlos Pigem all reached six under par to sit at the top of the leader board before play was suspended due to darkness. With almost four hours of play lost to weather delays over the first two days, the lead changed hands numerous times throughout the afternoon as the birdies began to stack up on the challenging Gary Player Course at DLF Golf and Country Club. Pepperell lost his card last season but reclaimed it at Qualifying School and is now aiming for a first European Tour win in his first made cut of the season. Playing partners Chawrasia and Pepperell reached six under with seven to play when darkness descended on day three and Pigem will face a putt on the 12th green to take the lead outright when play resumes on Sunday morning. Malaysia's Gavin Green was shaping up to be the story of the day when his round caught fire on the fifth hole as he embarked on a stunning six birdie streak that propelled him to five under par. A bogey birdie-finish left the big-hitting rookie one back from the leaders with one hole remaining. Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey bogied the 12th to leave the course one further back at four under, alongside Englishman David Horsey. Scott Jamieson also found form on day three, starting the round in impeccable fashion with three birdies in his first four holes. Two more birdies and a bogey put the Scot in a great position, but he double-bogeyed straight after the turn before pulling one shot back to finish the day at three under with four holes remaining. He is joined by Frenchman Gregory Havret, who was on course to be amongst the leaders after a bogey-free front nine, before dropping shots on the 13th and 14th, his final two holes of the day. America’s Peter Uihlein, his compatriot Paul Peterson, and Italian Matteo Manassero are two further back at one under par. Player quotes Eddie Pepperell: “The front nine is pretty demanding off the tee. I hit a lot of good tee shots, so I’m happy with that. I started to ship a bit, you know I missed a few putts, but I’m still in there and we’ll see how tomorrow goes. It will be another long day. I guess I can take confidence from what I’ve done today. I managed to keep my form pretty good all day. I’ll try to do that again tomorrow. “I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve got a game plan. I’m hitting a three wood off tees and trying to get the ball in play. Then if I keep hitting my irons pretty well and hole the odd putt, well, this is a course where you’ve got to just hang in there when things aren’t going your way and try not to make a big number. “Danny Chia birdied the first and then makes nine on the second. He’s not out of the tournament, but it will feel like that to him. That’s the kind of thing you’ve got to avoid around here. A bogey isn’t a bad score, it’s not going to do you much harm. I’ll just keep the same mindset, keep doing the same things, and see where I am this time tomorrow night.” S S P Chawrasia: “I stuck to the same game plan that I have had for the first two rounds. I just want to hit straight, keep the ball in play and keep giving myself chances all the time. “I am happy that I managed to do that, despite the bogey I dropped. On this course, a few misses (on the green) are bound to happen, but one cannot think about them. For instance on the sixth, I had a long par putt and I holed it after coming out of the bunker. “Last night I was relaxed and just focused on positive thoughts from last year and the resolved to stay focused. I have not looked at what others are doing – it does not matter if someone else is going for the green or trying something else. I will do what I have planned and what has worked for me.” Carlos Pigem: “I’m really happy about my round. I started strongly with two birdies. I made one mistake with a bogie, then got another few more birdies. So if I can keep playing really good, let’s see what can happen tomorrow. “The most important thing on this course is to have patience. This course is really tough and you need to know when you can be aggressive and when you should be more conservative. That’s the key. Obviously the greens are really big with lots of slopes and it’s very tough to make putts. “I’m really excited. It was a shame to finish today because I was playing really well. But I will have a good sleep and see if tomorrow I can play as well as today." EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS TO VIEW THE SCOREBOARD CLICK HERE