McGrane on leader's tail

Ireland’s Damien McGrane remained in striking distance of a maiden European Tour title after keeping pace with immaculate leader SSP Chowrasia in the final round of the Indian Masters this morning.

India’s Chowrasia, also chasing a maiden European Tour victory at the inaugural event, moved onto eight-under-par at the turn after picking up four shots in a flawless nine holes at the Delhi Golf Club.

McGrane, playing in the penultimate group alongside Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell a group behind Chowrasia, reached the turn in two-under, while McDowell sat a further shot adrift after moving onto six under par courtesy of a brace of late birdies.

Former Hong Kong Open champion Jose Manuel Lara of Spain, playing in the final group, remained at five-under at the turn, while overnight leader Raphael Jacquelin slipped back to four-under after shipping back-to-back bogeys in the middle of his front nine.

McGrane made a hard-fought par save at his fourth hole of the day after hitting his tee shot into the left rough and out of sight of the tight Sunday pin which hugged the left-hand side of the green.

But he found the front edge of the putting surface after avoiding the trees which line this tight Delhi course and two putted from 30 feet for a well-earned par.

At the par-three fifth, he missed an eight-foot birdie putt, but made amends by holing a long birdie putt a hole later.

He found the trees off the tee at the seventh to drop the shot but quickly made amends with a birdie a hole later before reaching the turn in two under with a solid par at the ninth.

McDowell missed a six-foot birdie putt from pin high at the fourth and then dropped a shot a hole later after hitting his tee shot at the short par three - which shares a double green with the 18th – onto the steps at the front of the clubhouse.

After taking a free drop after his ball ended up under the grandstand, McDowell pitched 10 foot past the pin and missed the return putt to slip back to four-under.

But he made a storming finish to his front nine with back-to-back birdies to reach the turn in 35 as he looked to follow up his fifth place finish in Dubai last week.

World number four Ernie Els, who remarkably had a chance at the title despite an opening round 75, made slow progress and picked up his first shot of the day at the par-four 10th to ease onto three under par and inside the top 10 alongside Basildon-born Ross McGowan and India’s Arjun Atwal.