By IANS,
Koh Samui : A modest one-over 72 saw Arjun Singh stay as the best Indian after three rounds in the Bangkok Airways Open golf tournament here Saturday.
Arjun, one of the five Indians is now three-under 210 to be tied 20th in the tournament and trails the leader, Chinese Taipei’s Lien Lu-Sen by ten strokes. Lien enjoyed a three stroke lead at the Bangkok Airways Open after firing a five-under-par 66 in the third round.
The Indian landed birdies on the second, eighth and 12th and dropped bogeys on the first, third, fourth and 15th.
Among the other Indians still in the fray over the weekend, Himmat Singh Rai (71, 71, 74) is tied 59th with a total of three over 216, while Anirban Lahiri (69, 75, 73) and Gaurav Ghei (75, 69, 73) were both tied 62nd with identical totals of four over 217. Amandeep Johl (71, 73, 76) lied tied 69th place at seven over 220.
The 33-year-old Lien took control on day three thanks to six birdies against a lone bogey in the $300,000 Asian Tour event.
With a three-day total of 13-under-par 200, Lien set the pace ahead of Thai duo Chinnarat Phadungsil who posted a 65 and Thaworn Wiratchant who recorded a 68 to lie in a tie for second place at the Santiburi Samui Country Club.
Overnight leader Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines messed up with a triple bogey at the third hole as he fell to joint fourth place after a 72 alongside Japan’s Shintaro Kai who carded a 70. Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng stumbled to a late bogey on the 17th hole for a 68 also in a tie for fourth spot together with Englishman Chris Rodgers who posted a 69 and four strokes
behind the leader.
Lien, who lost in a play-off on the domestic circuit two weeks ago, is riding on a new found mental game to see him through a maiden title on the Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Chinnarat is reaping the rewards of his new set of irons this week blasting two eagles, three birdies against a lone bogey as he remained in the hunt heading into the final round.
Chinnarat is the youngest winner on the Asian Tour when he won the 2005 Double A International Open in Bangkok at the age of 17 years and five days.