For the third consecutive day, the Golconda Masters golf championship saw a different leader. This time it was the turn of 36-year-old Shamim Khan of Delhi to top the table at the end of the third round at the Hyderabad Golf Club course here on Saturday.
Shamim, who was visibly composed right through the morning session, now has a score of 15-under 195 and is followed by Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh with 12-under 198.
“I am pleased with the putting even though there is always scope for improvement. Hope everything falls in place on the crucial final day on Sunday,” said the soft-spoken Shamim, winner of the Noida PGTI event early this month.
“Yes, I am really happy with the birdie putts from a range of 15 to 34 feet on the first, seventh and 18th,” he said.
The Delhi golfer also had the satisfaction of recording the best birdie of the day — on the ninth, which seemed to be a very tough putt.
Harendra Gupta with scores of 67, 65 and 66 in the three rounds is now second thanks primarily to today’s showing in which he recorded seven birdies and three bogeys, with the highlight being five straight birdies from the seventh to the 11th.
Overnight leader Amardip Sinh Malik, with scores of 69, 61 and 69, is now in the third spot.
“It seems that all the putting was over yesterday itself for me. I don’t know what happened, but I am not happy with my putting today,” remarked Amardip, managing a smile his display which fetched him four birdies compared to three bogeys.
Sri Lankan Anura Rohana and Bangalore’s S. Chikkarangappa are fourth and fifth.
Important scores (third round): 1. Shamim Khan (63, 68, 64); 2. Harendra Gupta (67, 65, 66); 3. Amardip Singh Malik (69, 61, 69); 4. Anura Rohana (63, 69, 68); 5. S. Chikkarangappa (68, 65, 69); 6. Ranjit Singh (66, 69, 68); 7. Manav Jaini (68, 66, 69); 8. K. Prabagaran (62, 69, 72); 9. Sujan Singh (67, 71, 66); 10. Karan Taunk (65, 66, 73).
