Indian golfer S. S. P. Chawrasia carded a creditable four-under 68 in the second round but could not hold on to the lead, slipping to tied second in the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open here today.
Chawrasia was seven shots adrift of the runaway leader, Shaun Norris of South Africa, who blazed through Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club in 11-under 61 to move to 23-under.
Norris, who was tied for the lead 12-under with Chawrasia, suddenly zoomed ahead to open a seven-shot lead over the Indian and two others.
Chawrasia shares the second spot with Korean Junwon Park, who had 10 birdies and one bogey in his equally stupendous nine-under, while Japan’s Azuma Yano (66), who had a rare albatross on par-five 14th, and Jeunghan Wang (66) of Korea, who has had only one bogey in three days, also moved to 16-under.
The other Indian to stand out was Rahil Gangjee, who braved a fever, to shoot a second successive 66 and moved to tied-sixth at 13-under.
Arjun Atwal (70) and Rashid Khan (72) were unable to build on a good start on the third day and slipped to 11-under 205 each and tied-19th. Shiv Kapur (70) was tied-39th and Himmat Rai (72) was tied-43rd.
On Sunday, Chawrasia will go out in the second last group with Gangjee and Korea’s Wang, who was with the former in the Asian Team at EurAsia Cup. Norris will play in the lead group with Yano, who landed a rare albatross on the par14th, and Park, who has been bogey free in second and third rounds.
“Though I did not hit as many greens as the first two days, my play was still fine. Unfortunately, one bad second shot cost me a bogey on fifth from centre of the fairway as the wind picked up just as I hit the ball and it slipped back and into the bunker. Then on 15th, I went into the greenside bunker and after the chip, my par putt caught the lip and spun out,” Chawrasia said.
On being paired with Gangjee in the second last group, Chawrasia said, “I enjoy playing with Rahil. He is one of my closest friends and we are both from Kolkata, so we will enjoy it out there.”
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