Shubhankar Sharma of India finally wobbled a bit, but still leads the WGC-Mexico Championship heading to the final round.
Sharma sank a clutch 14-foot par putt on the 18th hole to salvage a 2-under-par 69 and leads Phil Mickelson, Tyrrell Hatton of England and Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello by two strokes at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.
The 21-year-old Sharma, who in the last round will play alongside Mickelson, 47, has won eight times as a pro—including the Joburg Open and the Maybank Championship earlier this season to lead the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.
“(Mickelson) is such a legend, even back home in India,” said Sharma, who introduced himself to Lefty before the third round. “I remember getting up in the middle of the night to watch him play.
“I have to stay aggressive, the way I played today. You can’t try to protect your lead. … I’ve always been a little gritty, a grinder on the golf course. I’m very happy with the way I’m playing and have to keep doing it tomorrow.”
Sharma, who opened a four-stroke lead with birdies on three of the first six holes, made three bogeys in a span of nine holes through No. 16 before finishing with two pars and a 54-hole total of 13-under 200.
Mickelson, trying to win for the first time since the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield, carded a bogey-free 65, Hatton collected five birdies on the front nine in a bogey-free 64, while Masters champion Garcia and Cabrera Bello both posted 69s.
Top-ranked Dustin Johnson, the defending champion, sank a seven-foot eagle putt at the sixth hole in a 68 and is three shots behind in a tie for sixth with Xander Schauffele of La Jolla and San Diego State, who shot 70, Pat Perez of San Diego, who finished at 68, and Brian Harman, who also had a 68.
Third-ranked Justin Thomas sank a 27-foot eagle putt on the first hole en route to a course-record 62 and is one more back in solo 10th, while fourth-ranked Jordan Spieth is six down in a tie for 11th after a 69.
Second-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain and seventh-ranked Rickie Fowler of Murrieta are in a tie for 21st after 70s, and fifth-ranked Justin Rose of England is tied for 50th following a 73.
For complete results, https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.
