Golfer Poom in lead at Bengaluru tourney

Poom Saksansin of Thailand pulled two shots clear of home favourite Khalin Joshi after shooting a one-under-par 70 in the third round of the TAKE Solutions Masters here on Saturday.

The baby-faced Poom traded four birdies against three bogeys to hold on to his lead for the third straight day with a 12-under-par 201 total at the inaugural US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

Joshi, who hails from Bengaluru, produced a gutsy fight-back with five birdies on his homeward nine after dropping a double bogey on the ninth hole on his home course, the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) golf course.

S. Chikkrangappa, a two-time TAKE Solutions Masters on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), birdied the last hole from 50-feet to stay within range of Poom, who he trails by four shots following a 69.

M. Dharma of India produced the shot of the day when he holed out with a three-wood for a magical albatross from 270 yards on the par-five fifth hole. It was the Asian Tour's 23rd albatross and third of the season.

Dharma posted a 69 to take the shared 18th place.

--IANS

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