Ashok enjoys two-stroke advantage in DDA Open

New Delhi: Ashok Kumar continued his rampaging form and turned in a scintillating three-under 67 to take the sole lead after the third round of the DDA Open golf tournament.

Ashok`s total of 12-under 198 placed him two strokes ahead of Naman Dawar, who fired a 68 today at the Qutub golf course. Ashok Kumar (63-68-67) had a steady front nine despite being in poor putting form. He made pars on the first nine holes. Ashok earned his first birdie of the day on the par three 10th where he sank an eight feet putt. After making bogey on the 11th, the 27-year-old pulled two strokes back with an eagle on the 12th. Ashok went on to roll it in from 12 feet for birdie on the 17th. "My poor putting form continued in the third round. I missed a number of short putts, including one on the 11th that resulted in a bogey. The highlight of the round today was the eagle on the 12th, where I landed my pitching wedge approach shot just one foot from the pin," Ashok said."I`ll look to play steady on the first five holes in the final round. Since the first five holes are the toughest stretch at the Qutab Golf Course, I`ll be happy if I`m one under after the fifth. I plan to attack the pins from the sixth hole onwards," he said. Naman Dawar (68-64-68) made four birdies against two bogeys in his round of 68 to take his total to 10-under 200. "The putter was cold today. It was the birdie on the eighth that gave me the momentum in round three. I recovered really well to make birdie on the eighth after landing my tee shot on the adjoining fairway. I hit my best drive of the day on the 12th to set up yet another birdie," said Dawar.Gaurav Pratap Singh ended day three in third place at nine-under 201 after carding an even par 70 today. Sujjan Singh and Anirudh Goyal are in tied fourth at seven under 203. Vikrant Chopra`s score of five under 65 was the best of the day and placed him in tied 12th at three under 207. PTI