Akshay, a seasoned 35-year-old campaigner with two PGTI titles under his belt, lit up the course on Wednesday. His 70-65 effort included nine birdies against two bogeys, vaulting him from mid-pack to co-leader. That clutch birdie to close out the round was pure magic, a testament to his improved putting and iron play.

Dhruv Shyoran, the 2024 tour standout at 31 years young, matched the pace with a 69-66. His eagle on the 14th – courtesy of a laser-like approach – stole the show, complemented by six birdies and minimal errors.

Third place at 8-under 136 belongs to Taiga Tanaka of Japan, Sunita Chaurasia from Kolkata, and Nepal’s Sukra Bahadur Rai, all breathing down the leaders’ necks. The duo of Chaurasia and Rai rocketed up with 66s, while Tanaka stayed consistent.

Former overnight co-leaders Harman Sachdeva and Jamal Hussain dropped to tied sixth at 7-under 137, bunched with Mani Ram (Karnal), Rohit Narwal, ex-Asian Tour champ Himmat Singh Rai (Delhi), Viraj Madappa (Kolkata), and Manoj S. from Bengaluru.

With 50 players making the cut at even par, the weekend promises fierce competition. Sharma’s ball-striking precision and Shyoran’s bold plays position them as favorites, but in golf, anything can happen.