Mane extends lead

Udayan Mane extended his lead to two strokes as Mohammad Nazim moved into the top ten at the end of the third round of the BTI Open yesterday.

Mane, the 26-year-old Bengalurean, carded a three-under-par (69) at the Kurmitola Golf Club on Wednesday for an aggregate of 10-under-par (206), which posted him two shots clear of compatriot Feroze Singh Garewal. Khalin Joshi occupied the third position a further shot back while Bangladesh's Nazim shared the 10th position along with Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka and Naman Dawar of India at three-under-par (213). The rest of the top ten positions were all occupied by Indian golfers.

Mane, starting the penultimate round with a one-stroke lead, looked in total control on the front-nine, having made two birdies and seven pars. He landed his wedges close enough on the seventh and ninth to make birdies.

He then had a few hiccups on the back-nine, dropping bogeys on the 10th, 12th and 15th in exchange for just two birdies on the 11th and 14th. However, he managed to pull it back with birdies on the last two holes to continue as favourite for the title.

"I made some good up and downs and par saves today. The birdies on the last two holes brought me back in the zone and lifted my confidence. The highlight of the day was probably the wedge shot from the first cut on the 18th that stopped inches from the hole and gave me a crucial two-shot advantage going into the final round," Mane said after the day's play.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's Nazim lifted himself from 29th to 10th position on the leaderboard with the day's best score of five-under-67. The KGC pro mixed an eagle with four birdies and a bogey to give rise to hopes of a home winner at the 48-lac-rupee event, which was won last year by Bangladesh's Siddikur Rahman.

Shakhawat Hossain Sohel was the second best placed among the locals in 13th position with an aggregate score of two-under-par (214).