The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Anirban keeps slender lead after third round

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Friday, Jun 22, 2007
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Sport - Golf

Anirban keeps slender lead after third round

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Mistakes notwithstanding, Anirban Lahiri held on to a slender lead after the third round of the Southern India amateur golf tournament at the Bangalore Golf Club here on Thursday.

A second successive card of even-par 70 ensured Anirban was still the frontrunner for the title. His lead of two strokes over Simarjeet Singh, however, means that the final day’s play will be full of tense moments and with Abhishek Jha just four behind the leader, anybody could emerge winner.

“I am at my wits end,” Anirban said after submitting his card.

Close putts

The Bangalore amateur was mortified to see a number of lip outs and close putts. Just three birdies (third, fourth and 13th) adorned his card. Once again, Anirban was jinxed on the back nine and made bogeys on the 10th, 11th and 12th.

On Wednesday too, Anirban had floundered on the same holes for a hat-trick of bogeys. Possibly he found the greens too soft after the rains on the course.

Personal best

Simarjeet came up with his best performance in three days to submit a card of three-under 67. The windy and wet conditions posed no hardship for Simarjeet as he sank birdie on the fourth, sixth, 15th and 18th.

Simarjeet had only one bad hole, making a bogey on the 11th. He was extremely happy with his putting and he hoped to carry on the good work in the final round.

Manav Das, who played to two-under 68, found his rhythm after a short lay-off from the game. A wrist injury, which flared up again after treatment and a short break after his marriage, had kept the Oil India Limited player off the golf course for most of the last year.

Manav missed an eagle on the 10th and also had birdies on the third, fifth and 11th with the last birdie coming off a 30 foot putt. The seventh and 16th were bad holes for Manav as he dropped shots there.

Out of league

Juniors, Amanjyot Singh (five-over 75) and Chikkarangappa (ten-over 80), were way out of league in the higher class. Chikka, especially, seemed to be jaded after too many tournaments in a short span.

The results (after 54 holes): Anirban Lahiri 204 (64, 70, 70); Simarjeet Singh 206 (69, 70, 67); Abhishek Jha 208 (66, 71, 71); Manav Das 210 (71, 71, 68); Amanjyot Singh 212 (68, 69, 75); Jasjeet Singh 213 (71, 72, 70), Saurabh Bahugu na (68, 75, 70) and H.S. Kang (72, 68, 73).

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