Veer Ahlawat maintains lead in round three despite a sedate 71

Veer Ahlawat scored a sedate one-under 71 but managed to keep the lead after the third round of the TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship here on Friday.

The Gurugram-based golfer (67-62-71), who had scored a whirlwind 62 in round one, moved his tournament total to 16-under 200. The 25-year-old Ahlawat's mixed round saw him pick up five birdies at the expense of four bogeys.

Noida's Amardeep Malik (71-65-66) was breathing down the leader's neck as he struck a terrific 66 consisting of eight birdies and two bogeys to be placed second at 14-under 202.

Bengaluru's Chikkarangappa S (69-65-69) was also in contention in third place at 13-under 203 along with Mysuru's Yashas Chandra (65-70-69) who occupied fourth place at 12-under 204.

Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (66) was the highest-placed among the Chandigarh golfers as he closed the day in tied fifth at 11-under 205 along with Om Prakash Chouhan (66) of Mhow and M Dharma (70) of Bengaluru.

Noida's Gaurav Pratap Singh shot the day's best score of seven-under 65 to move up 34 places into tied 15th at six-under 210. His round featured an eagle, six birdies and a bogey. Earlier in the day, the second round was completed by the 65 players who couldn't finish their rounds on Thursday due to the rain and resulting delayed start. At the end of round two, the cut was declared at one-over 145 as fifty-six professionals and one amateur made it to the money rounds. Veer Ahlawat enjoyed a five-shot lead at 15-under 129 at the halfway stage while Chikkarangappa was second at 10-under 134.

Ranjit Singh was the second Chandigarh player in the top-10 after Yuvraj Singh Sandhu. Ranjit was placed tied eighth at 10-under 206 along with Delhi's Rashid Khan and rookie Kartik Sharma of Gurugram.

PGTI Order of Merit leader Karandeep Kochhar of Chandigarh occupied tied 11th place at nine-under 207.

Chandigarh's Bishmadpal Singh Seerha, the lone amateur to make the cut, was tied 39th at even-par 216.