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Kahlon jumps to a four-stroke lead

By Our Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR JULY 20. After being close to the leaders on the first two days, Harmeet Kahlon stepped up the pace to enjoy the comforts of a four-stroke cushion over Uttam Singh Mundy after the penultimate round of the Rs. 15 lakh Royal Springs Open golf championship here on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Kahlon, winner of the Hero Honda Masters title in February this year, inched closer to his maiden title on the Indian Tour with a round of five-under 67. His three-round tally now stands at an impressive 12-under 204 at the Royal Spring golf course.

Mundy returned his second successive 68 to remain a stroke ahead of Ranjit Singh and the first-round leader, Digvijay Singh. Like Mundy, Gaurav Ghei, too, reproduced his second-round card of 68. He now shares the fifth spot with Jaiveer Virk, overnight leader Shamim Khan and Feroz Ali at 210.

This season-opener, which has seen three leaders in as many rounds, has so far brought out a series of disciplined efforts from Kahlon. After scores of 68 and 69, Kahlon enjoyed his best day after sinking a 20-foot `eagle' besides five birdies. He did falter twice _ bogeying the sixth and 12th holes _ but what helped his cause the most was the fact that those close to him at the beginning of the round slipped badly.

Starting the day a stroke behind Shamim Khan and one ahead of Feroz Ali, Kahlon caught up with the former following a second-round birdie. On the fourth hole, Kahlon found himself in the lead as he saved par and Shamim bogeyed. Shamim dropped a stroke again on the fifth to double Kahlon's lead. Though Kahlon's first bogey of the championship came on the sixth hole, he remained in the lead. On the seventh hole came Kahlon's `eagle' after he struck a 3-wood and a 5-wood to reach the green. He followed it up with a birdie on the eighth.

Kahlon three-putted the 12th for his only other bogey of the day before enlarging his lead with birdies on the 14th, 15th and 18th holes. Without doubt, it was Kahlon's putting that was the highpoint of his play today.

``I am feeling good and thinking good,'' said the India Cements-sponsored Kahlon after bringing in his best card in three days. "I am just playing my game. After winning the Hero Honda Masters, I don't think I need to prove myself again and again,'' stated the leader before adding, "I am not going to remember about my four-stroke lead on Sunday morning. I am just going to concentrate on playing at my best.''

Mundy, twice winner of the prestigeous Honda-Siel PGA championship, also felt that the lead for Kahlon was far from safe. "I think, I'll have to play more aggressively to catch up with Kahlon. As you can see, he is playing very consistently. So, I will have to go for more birdies. I guess some 26-28 putts for me on Sunday should make it a close contest,'' said the 36-year-old Mundy whose last title came in the 1999 BPGC Open in Mumbai.

For the second straight day, Mundy needed 34 strokes to complete each half of the course. He may have taken off on the wrong foot by dropping a shot on the first hole but had three consecutive birdies beginning from the sixth hole. He began the inward nine with a birdie, dropped a stroke on the 12th before saving a stroke each on the 15th and 17th holes. His longest birdie-putt, on the 17th, was about 30 feet.

``On the first two days, I used a broomstick-putter. Today, I was back with my old putter. I did take time to get going but overall, I am pleased with the way it worked,'' said Mundy who again had 31 putts.

Ranjit Singh, the Chandigarh-based golfer, brought in a 67 to ensure his place in the leading trio on Sunday. He had six birdies and a bogey. It remains to be seen if he can come up with another splendid effort and improve upon his joint-third finish, achieved in the Hero Honda South championship in Bangalore last year.

Jaiveer Virk, who had moved to the second spot during the course of the day, finished with a 71. He joined Ghei, who had a bogey-free 67 studded with birdies on the seventh, eighth, 10th, 14th and 18th holes. Digvijay, after a forgettable second round, recovered brilliantly with a 69.

The scores (after 54 holes):

Harmeet Kahlon (68, 69, 67) 204; Uttam Singh Mundy (72, 68, 68) 208; Ranjit Singh (70, 72, 67) and Digvijay Singh (66, 74, 69) 209; Gaurav Ghei (75, 68, 68), Jaiveer Virk (72, 67, 71), Feroz Ali (68, 70, 72) and Shamim Khan (67, 69, 74) 210; S. S. P. Chaurasia (69, 71, 71) and Rahil Gangjee (68, 72, 71) 211; Vinod Kumar (76, 68, 68) and Ali Sher (67, 72, 73) 212; Ashok Kumar (70, 73, 71) and Jyoti Randhawa (69, 73, 72) 214; Vikrant Chopra (A) (73, 73, 71), Vijay Kumar (68, 73, 76) and Amit Dube (72, 68, 77) 217.

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