Veer Ahlawat Tied-10th at Singapore Open, Kapur 18th-Andhravilas

Veer Ahlawat Tied-10th at Singapore Open, Kapur 18th

Sentosa (Singapore), Jan 22 - Indian golfer Veer Ahlawat fought back from being three-over after three holes to stay in the hunt for a top-10 finish at the US$ 1.25 million SMBC Singapore Open.

Ahlawat, who had a top-10 finish in the first event of the Phuket Series in December, finished strongly with three birdies in last four holes for his 1-under 70, his third straight sub-par round.

Ahlawat, whose sole pro win came on his domestic Tour in 2019, is now 5-under for 54 holes and placed T-10, a report in golfxyz.in stated.

Shiv Kapur (70) was also inside top-20 with a total of 4-under through three rounds and was T-18. Viraj Madappa, playing his third round alongside Kapur, shot 75 including a double bogey on Par-5 18th, Madappa is now 2-over 215 and T-47.

S Chikkarangappa (72) and Rashid Khan (71) were 3-over 216 and Tied-55th.

American Sihwan Kim (69), who has spent much of his career playing on the Challenge Tour in Europe, is chasing his first win as a professional. He kept a share of the lead after the third round and he was now sharing it with Sadom Kaewkanjana (65) from Thailand, whose 65 had six birdies and no bogeys. Sadom and Kim were both at 11-under.

Ahlawat had a rough start with a double bogey 'six' on par-4 third and a bogey on Par-5 fourth. However, he steadied the ship with some pars and a birdie on ninth followed by another birdie on 10th. A dropped shot on 14 was disappointing, but he birdied 15th, 16th, and 18th for a strong finish.

Joohyung Kim, the 19-year-old Korean who currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit, returned a 69 and is in sole possession of third, three strokes back. Australian Zach Murray, in with 65, Justin De Los Santos from the Philippines, and Japan's Yuto Katsuragawa, who both scored 68, are a further shot behind.

Sadom's sole Asian Tour win came at the 2019 Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open.

--IANS

cs/bsk

(IANS)

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