India's Sharma hangs onto WGC Mexico lead

India's Shubhankar Sharma survived some shaky moments to maintain his two-shot lead at the WGC Mexico Championship after the third round on Saturday.

Sharma, the 21-year-old Asian Tour Order of Merit leader whose two European Tour wins this season -- the first of his career -- have propelled him to number 75 in the world, is making his first start in an elite World Golf Championships event.

He had five birdies and three bogeys in his two-under par 69 at Club de Golf Chapultepec near Mexico City, where his 13-under par total of 200 put him two clear of five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, reigning Masters champion Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

World number one and defending

champion Dustin Johnson headed a group on 203 that also included 2017 US PGA Tour rookie of the year Xander Schauffele, Pat Perez and Brian Harman.

Sharma, leading by two to start the day, made a quick start with three birdies in his frist six holes. He bounced back from a bogey at the eighth with a birdie at 11, but surrendered a shot at 13.

He rolled in a 16-foot birdie putt at 14 to reclaim sole possession of the lead, and he was two clear even after his bogey at 16.

He closed with a tremendous par save at the last, calmly rolling in a 15-foot putt to maintain his cushion.

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