Shenzhen(China), Dec 14 (IANS) India’s Rashid Khan maintained his challenge for top honours in the Faldo Series Asia grand final at Mission Hills Golf Club here in China, as he was placed just one shot behind sole leader Chan Shih Chang of Chinese Taipei after two rounds. There is one more round to go.
Rashid, who shared the lead with Chan and two others overnight shot a three-under 69 and is now five-under 139, while Chan is six-under 138.
Among the other five Indians, S Chikkarangappa (72) was one-over 145 and lying ninth, while Abhijit Chadha (75) was two-over 146 and at 12th. Rahul Bakshi shot brilliant 68, equalling the day’s best and made up for his first day’s 79, moved to 14th with three-over 147. Abhinav Lohan (73) was four-over and tied for 16th. Trishul Chinappa (80) was 18-over and tied for 47th.
Rashid shot had four birdies and just one bogey in his 69, while Bakshi had a great day with four birdies on the front nine and a fifth one at tenth that saw him get to five-under. Bogeys on 16th and 18th with a birdie in between saw him end at 68.
Having shared the overnight lead with three others, 21-year-old Chan broke away from the pack with six birdies in his 68 to reach a six-under-par total of 138.
He leads by one from Rashid, 16, who carded a 69 with Hung Chung Kang, another Chinese Taipei player, a further shot back on 140.
17-year-old Lin Tzu Chi of Chinese Taipei is the leading girl on a level-par total of 144 after shooting 71 today. Overnight girls’ leader Thidapa Suwannapura, 15, of Thailand is one shot behind on 145.
The FSA grand final is being played over three rounds on the highly-acclaimed Faldo Course, with a cut after 36 holes. The format is gross stroke-play with trophies awarded to the leading boy in the under-21, under-18 and under-16 categories and the leading girl in the under-21 and under-16 divisions. Boys are playing from the gold tees (6,500 yards) and girls from the blue tees (6,100 yards).