By IANS
Gotemba (Japan) : Inconsistent putting continued to dog Indian star Jeev Milkha Singh as he managed only an one-under 71 despite some excellent hitting and iron play in the third round of the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters Saturday.
Jeev’s 71 took him to two-under 214 and tied him at 36th place. His earlier rounds were 72 and 71.
Australian Brendan Jones, six-time winner on Japan Tour, shot a three-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds.
Jones moved into pole position with his third successive score in the 60s and he is now 12-under 204 on the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course.
Another Australian, world no.6 Adam Scott was second at 206 after a 70 and overnight leader Toru Taniguchi fell was third after going two-over for a 74.
Jeev started on the tenth and bogeyed the 12th, but the birdie on the 18th saw him turn in even par. A bogey-birdie-bogey sequence from the third still had him over par. Then two late birdies on seventh and eighth saved the day from being a disaster.
Jeev found 83 percent of the greens in regulation but then struggled on the greens needing 32 putts for his round.
Jones, who won the Tsuruya Open in April, had two birdies on either side of the turn and only missed two greens in regulation.
It was a tough day out at the course, with just eight players getting into the 60s as the pin positions were very tough.
Scott matched Jones with four birdies but bogeys at ninth and 15th left him trailing fellow Aussie going into the final round.
It was a rough day for money leader Taniguchi, who offset three birdies with as many bogeys through nine holes and then scrambled for par in one stretch before back-to-back bogeys from the 16th.
Shingo Katayama, four-time money title winner, is six strokes off the lead in a tie for eighth.