round in the 60s to remain inside the Top 20 at Le Golf National.

Sandhu added a two-under 69 to earlier rounds of 67 and 68, reaching nine-under 204 and sharing 17th place with one round remaining. He is 10 shots behind runaway leader Matt Fitzpatrick.

The Indian collected four birdies against two bogeys on Saturday. Sandhu has now made 13 birdies and an eagle across three rounds, while limiting the damage to six bogeys during an encouraging week following a modest season.

India’s other representative, Shubhankar Sharma, missed the halfway cut after rounds of 72 and 74. The cut fell at two-under.

World No. 4 Fitzpatrick tightened his grip on the tournament with a six-under 65, moving to 19-under and opening a five-stroke advantage.

The 2022 U.S. Open champion made seven birdies and dropped his first shot of the week at the eighth. He is chasing his 11th DP World Tour title and fourth victory of the season after winning three times on the PGA Tour.

Home favourite Tom Vaillant will join Fitzpatrick in the final group after a 67 lifted him to 14-under. The 24-year-old is seeking his maiden DP World Tour victory and aiming to become the first French winner of the national open since Thomas Levet in 2011.

Brandon Stone fired a bogey-free 63 to share third at 13-under with Kristoffer Reitan, Jeff Winther, Angel Hidalgo and Eugenio Chacarra, who equalled the course record with a 62.

Former champion Tommy Fleetwood withdrew before the third round because of illness.

Photo – Asian Tour