Arjun Atwal inched closer towards his cherished goal of earning a USPGA Tour card carding a two-under 70 on day-four of the six-day Final Qualifying Stage of the US PGA Tour.
The Indian is presently tied for 12th position with an aggregate of seven-under 281 in the event being simultaneously played at the Panther Lake GC and the Crooked Cat GC, Florida.
Mathias Gronberg jumped to sole lead at 14-under 274. Gronberg shot a 71 on Sunday.
India-born Swede Daniel Chopra, overnight joint leader, shot a 75 to slip to sixth spot at ten-under 278.
The top-30 golfers in the Final Stage Qualifiers would earn a direct entry into the US PGA Tour, while the remaining, earn full exemption or conditional entry into the Nationwide Tour.
Atwal's progress has been quite dramatic in the event so far. The 31-year old tied for the 100th position on Thursday, subsequently progressed to tied-50th, tied-31st and is now tied on 12th place.
With two-more rounds to go, all he has to do is hold his nerve and play percentage golf to ensure he earns the distinction of becoming the first ever Indian to qualify for the prestigious US PGA Tour.
"I am playing to a plan this week and so far things have moved like clockwork," said the two-time European Tour winner.
A tenth tee starter, Atwal dropped a shot on his very second hole but recovered with a birdie on the 12th. A bogey on the 18th caused some concern as he stood on the first tee at one-over.
But by the sixth hole, Atwal had recovered two strokes despite another bogey on the fifth, courtesy birdies on the second, third and sixth. An eagle on the seventh further enhanced his position and but for another bogey on the eighth, he would have broken into the top-ten at tied-10th place.
