WGC-Mexico C’ship: Sharma lies Tied 54th, Johnson extends lead to four

The Indian hit nine of 14 fairways and found 13 of 18 greens in regulation to take his total to four-over 217 after day 3.

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma lines up a putt on the tenth green during the second round of World Golf Championships in Mexico on Saturday.

India’s Shubhankar Sharma produced only his second under par card of the week, a one-under 70 in the third round to lie tied 54th at the World Golf Championships here on Sunday.

The Indian hit nine of 14 fairways and found 13 of 18 greens in regulation to take his total to four-over 217 after day 3.

Shubhankar, who was tied-ninth a year ago on his debut here, had four birdies against three bogeys.

Dustin Johnson shot five-under 66 despite a double bogey and extended his lead from three to four shots over Rory McIlroy (68). Johnson is now 16-under and McIlroy is 12-under.

READ| Johnson leads by four at WGC-Mexico Championship

Sergio Garcia (69), Patrick Cantlay (65), Patrick Reed (64), and Cameron Smith (68) are tied for 3rd at nine-under.

Two of Shubhankar’s birdies came on the Par-5s. The first was on the 622-yard par-5 11th hole, where he reached the green in three and holed a huge 28-foot putt for birdie.

The other Par-5 birdie was on the 575-yard par-5 15th hole, where he hit an approach shot from 236 yards to 10 feet and holed it.

On the 316-yard par-4 first Shubhankar hit his tee shot 319 yards to the green and he two-putted for a birdie.

On the par-4 eighth, Shubhankar’s 205 yard approach to 11 feet set himself up for the birdie on the hole. This moved him to one-under for the round.

His bogeys included a three-putt on the 186-yard par-3 third, and he also bogeyed the Par-4 fourth where his second shot went into the right greenside bunker and then he hit to 11 yards to the green from where he two-putted. This moved Shubhankar to even for the round.

Tiger Woods (70) once came within four shots after Johnson’s double bogey but he had a tough day on the greens.

The worst was after Woods had a 5-iron from the middle of the fairway on the par-5 15th. He went into the bunker and got out to 25 feet and four-putted for a double bogey, with the last three putts from just outside 3 feet.

He followed that with a three-putt bogey on the 16th, and a birdie on the final hole gave him a 70. He had 16 greens in regulation. He is now 10 shots behind Johnson.