Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), July 31 (IANS) A hat-trick of birdies late in the second stretch of the third round saw Anirban Lahiri pull himself to tied fifth with one more round to go in the Brunei Open here Saturday.
The young Indian, still looking for his maiden win on the Asian Tour, shot a five-under 66 to move to 10-under 203 and just two shots from the leader.
Lahiri, tied 15th overnight is now tied fifth and in good position to make a bid for his first win on Asian Tour.
Overnight leader, 26-year-old Mohammad Siddikur dropped a bogey on the very last hole and slipped to tied first after holding sole lead. His round of 70 gave him a total of 12-under 201, the same as Malaysia’s Ben Leong, who put himself in contention for a second Asian Tour title with a four-under-par 67 at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. Siddikur’s best on Asian Tour has been tied-eighth at Queen’s Cup earlier this year.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, who was runner-up here at the same event last year, dropped a bogey on the last hole, but still managed to move up from four places from his overnight position of tied 15th. With a third round of 68, he is now tied 11th at eight-under 205.
Among other Indians Gurki Shergill in top-five after first day, was tied 24th with a round of 70 at five-under 208. Also tied at 24th was Kunal Bhasin, Australian golfer of Indian origin. He shot 72.
Himmat Rai with a round of 72 was tied 52nd, down four places from his overnight 48th. C Muniyappa, the Hero Honda Indian Open champion, had a sharp fall with a round of 78 that saw him plummet from tied 37th to 79th.
Former Brunei Open champion Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei battled to a 66 to lie in tied third position with South Africa’s Jbe Kruger and Australian Adam Blyth on a 202 total at the US$300,000 full field tournament.
English duo Simon Griffiths and Nick Redfern, runner-up at the King’s Cup in Thailand last year, are a stroke back with India’s Anirban Lahiri on a 203 total at the tournament which is making its sixth appearance on the Asian Tour Schedule.
