Udayan Mane holds two-shot advantage heading into final round

Udayan Mane of Bengaluru stretched his lead to two shots at the BTI Open 2017 after he posted a third round score of three-under-69 here today.

Udayan Mane’s total stood at 10-under-206 at the end of round three

Udayan Mane of Bengaluru stretched his lead to two shots at the BTI Open 2017 after he posted a third round score of three-under-69 here today.

Mane’s total stood at 10-under-206 at the end of round three of the Rs. 40 lakh event which is being played at the Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) in Dhaka.

Chandigarh-based teenager Feroz Singh Garewal also shot a 69 to move up one spot to second place at eight-under-208.

Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi (71) was a further stroke back in third.

Mane (70-67-69), the overnight leader by one shot, looked in total control on the front-nine having made two birdies and seven pars. He landed his wedges close enough on the seventh and ninth to make birdies.

The 26-year-old Udayan then had a few hiccups on the back-nine dropping bogeys on the 10th, 12th and 15th in exchange for just two birdies on the 11th and 14th.

Mane, who finished a creditable fifth in the money list in his rookie season on the PGTI in 2015, however managed to pull it back with birdies on the last two holes to continue as the top favourite for the title.

Feroz Singh Garewal (73-66-69) continued his upward graph, moving up from tied third to second position thanks to a 69 that featured six birdies and three bogeys.

The 19-year-old Garewal, still looking for his maiden title, said, “I didn’t have a great start to the week but I’ve done well to hang in there and get myself into contention.

It’s now all about converting my chances in the final round.”

Khalin Joshi (69-69-71) slipped one spot to third at seven-under-209 as a result of his 71 in round three. The three-time winner on the PGTI is expected to be another strong contender in round four.

Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh occupied fourth place at six-under-210.

The day’s best score of five-under-67 was shot by Patna’s Aman Raj, Bangladesh’s Md Nazim and Bengaluru’s Syed Saqib Ahmed. Aman Raj took a share of fifth place at five-under-211, Md Nazim was the best placed Bangladeshi golfer in tied 10th at three-under-213 and Syed Saqib Ahmed was tied 23rd at even-par-216. PTI ATK ATK 03012224