Rashid maintains two-shot lead with 70 at Chittagong Open

Rashid Khan maintained his two-shot lead after carding a flawless two-under 70 in round three of the Chittagong Open at the Bhatiary Golf & Country Club here Friday.

The 28-year-old Rashid (65-66-70), the halfway leader by two shots, kept hopes of his 11th title alive as his total score read 15-under-201 at the Rs 40 lakh event.

Indian rookie Kshitij Naveed Kaul (67-66-70) also returned a 70 to be on the leader's tail and continue in second place at 13-under-203.

Udayan Mane of India produced the day's best score of 65 and thus climbed from overnight tied 16th to third place at 12-under-204.

Md Sajib Ali was the highest-placed Bangladeshi golfer for the third day in a row. Sajib (71) was placed tied 10th at nine-under-207.

Rashid Khan, who won the last of his 10 titles in December 2018 to break a two-year title-drought, emerged as the prime contender to win in Chittagong after a determined effort of 70 in the penultimate round.

The Delhi-based golfer drove the green on the par-4 10th to pick up his first birdie of the day with a two-putt. Khan then sank a 15-footer for birdie on the 11th.

Kaul, 18, kept pace with Rashid to keep himself in contention.

Kaul, the sole leader at the turn on day three, sank five birdies on the first 11 holes before stumbling with a double-bogey on the 12th and bogeys on the 16th and 17th. He finally managed to pull a shot back with a birdie on the 18th.

Mane's 65 featured four consecutive birdies from the eighth to 11th. It lifted him 13 places to third position.

India's Honey Baisoya (71) was a further shot back in fourth place.

Defending champion N Thangaraja (67) of Sri Lanka was in tied 12th at eight-under-208.