Dubai Golden Visa awardee Bhullar surges to the top at Black Mountain Championship

Gaganjeet Bhullar found his form today, taking the third-round lead at the Black Mountain Championship after an uncharacteristically tough season.

Bhullar, a Dubai Golden Visa holder, was at his imperious best shooting a bogey-free six-under-par 66 for a tournament total of 19 under par. His impressive round puts him two shots clear of American John Catlin, the standout player of the year so far.

Catlin fired a 65 here at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand – where conditions were far from ideal with grey skies and rain persisting all day.

His compatriot Michael Maguire carded a 68 and is another shot back. At the same time, Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po fired the lowest round of the day, a 64, to sit in fourth, an additional stroke behind, David Boriboonsub from Thailand, who returned a 67.

Bhullar, the 36-year-old from Amritsar, India, has triumphed 11-times on the Asian Tour – the most by an Indian – but dogged by a sore hip this year he has not finished better than joint 33rd, at the International Series Morocco. After missing the last three cuts he is currently 123 rd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

However, the rebound appears to have begun this week, and a 12th win is a real possibility.

“It was a good round of golf to be honest,” said the Indian star, who made six birdies and started the day by sharing the lead with Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand.

“I think the best part was that it was a bogey-free round. I probably hit about 17 greens in regulation, which gave me a good opportunity to make lots and lots of birdies.

"I put quite well today, I would say as good as yesterday and drove the ball well, just missed two fairways today. But other than that, I think it was a solid round," he added.

He holds the course record here, a round of nine-under back in 2009, and has only dropped two shots all week. And despite the poor weather today, which fortunately was just rain and no lighting, he has continued to dominate the course.

“Normally it’s a thunderstorm and we don’t play, but yeah, it was quite challenging, Bhullar told “Actually, in the last few holes I had to change my strategy off the tee because I was just not comfortable hitting driver on all the holes.

“On number 16 I had to hit a three wood, and on the 17th, I had to hit a four iron. I will have only one thought for tomorrow – one shot at a time.”

Catlin is aiming to complete a hat trick this week, after a phenomenal season that has seen him win twice: International Series Macau presented by Wynn and Saudi Open presented by PIF, back-to-back.

He also nearly claimed the International Series Morocco but was stopped in his tracks by New Zealand’s Campbell, after the Kiwi won on the first hole of a sudden-death play-

Catlin was also second in the Yeangder TPC, joint third in the Malaysian Open and Equal fourth in the SJM Macao Open.

He is the runaway leader in both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

The American is clearly revelling playing in Hua Hin – his home away from home, as, just under a decade ago, he chose to base himself here when playing on the Asian Tour.

He said: " it’s great being here, anytime I can play a tournament in Hua Hin it’s awesome. This has been kind of a second home, and I’ve basically had a place here for eight years. I’ve played this golf course more times than I can count, so all of that is definitely helping me play well.’

He only dropped one shot today and carded eight birdies.

Maguire, a graduate from last year’s Qualifying School, has the opportunity tomorrow to improve on his best performance on the Asian Tour, which is tied for fourth in last year’s International Series Vietnam.

Suteepat shot a 71 and is five behind Bhullar, along with Italian Stefano Mazzoli, in with a 70.