Golfer Shiv two strokes behind leader Meesawat in Royal Cup

Indian golfer Shiv Kapur fell two shots behind Prom Meesawat of Thailand, while Gaganjeet Bhullar got a share of the third spot after the third and penultimate round of the $500,000 Royal Cup here on Saturday.

Shiv carded three-under 68 but fellow overnight leader Meesawat carded a five-under 66 to take his three-day total to 12-under 201 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Shiv carded a birdie at the 18th hole to keep things interesting going into Sunday.

The 35-year-old, who was playing with Meesawat in the same group, kept within sight of the leader with pivotal birdies at the 12th in addition to the one at the last hole.

"I played great today. He (Prom) didn't make many mistakes. He left the door opened once or twice, but I didn't capitalise on it. Every time I made a birdie, he seemed to make a birdie as well. He played a solid back nine and he seemed to pull away a bit," Shiv said in an Asian Tour release.

"He's a fantastic player and he's not going to hand me the tournament. I'm going to have to go out and work hard for it. With a birdie at the last hole, I have a better chance."

Meesawat kept his mistakes to a minimum and scored six birdies. He only had one bogey the entire round at the 15th, but it could have been much worse if not for a terrific bunker shot that landed five yards from the hole.

Shiv's compatriot Bhullar had a rather dramatic third round. He made six birdies, but it was slightly negated by two bogeys and an uncharacteristic double bogey at the par-four ninth.

After a magnificent start, the Indian ground out his round towards the last few holes and signed for a 69 which took his total to six-under 207 -- same as young Thai golfer Poom Saksansin.

"It was a bit of a yo-yo round and there were lots of ups and downs during the day. But otherwise, I drove the ball well like I did the last two rounds, kept the ball in play at pretty much all the holes and I gave myself plenty of birdie opportunities. I made some par saves at the end but otherwise, it was a decent round," Bhullar said.

Khalin Joshi, who was joint fourth after the second round, moved down five places following an even-par 71, taking his total to 209.

Veteran Jyoti Randhawa was tied 38th on two-over 215 total after carding a 72 on the day.

--IANS

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