Eugenio Chacarra fired five birdies and three bogeys for a 2-under 70 to take a four-shot lead at 10-under in pursuit of defending his title at the Hero Indian Open.

“It was a grind,” admitted Chacarra. “We know how this course gets over the weekends, it’s a lot of patience.

“There’s still a lot of golf to play and around this course anything can happen. I had a good Moving Day but on this course four shots seems like nothing.”

Chacarra has good reason to be cautious, he won his maiden DP World Tour title at last year’s Hero Indian Open with a final-round 71 to win by two shots at 4-under, one of only three players under par.

“I think I played really well [today], I handled myself very well and like I said this course is just… try to plug along and everything can happen,” he added.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re putting for, it’s just one stroke better and it makes a lot of difference. Everyone’s going to make bogeys, everyone’s going to have some hard bounces or bad kicks – I mean, I hit a great shot on the last, right at it, and I had an almost impossible two-putt.

“I’m proud of the way I fought but there’s still a lot of golf to play and around this course anything can happen.”

MJ Daffue eagled the par-3 8th and made one birdie, one bogey and one double bogey at the par-4 10th for a 72 and a share of second place at 6-under.

Daffue won the HotelPlanner Tour’s DP World PGTI Open last week in New Delhi, his second win in under two months.

“I’m going to lean on it a lot. I’ve been able to do it twice now, different competition but I feel like I should be able to apply what I have to any situation,” said the South African.

“I think it’s fine to think about victory because we’re just human. Obviously I’m going to stick to my game plan. I feel like if I play the same as today and one or two things go my way, then I shoot four or five under tomorrow. I know it’s doable and I know this golf course is a beast so it’s a test of patience.”

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick who won last week’s Valspar on the PGA Tour, fired four birdies and four bogeys for a share of second place.

Germany’s Freddy Schott made five birdies and five bogeys and lies in T4 at 5-under alongside Scotland’s David Law who closed with a 70 having made three bogeys.

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