New Delhi, Dec 07: Ace golfer Jyoti Randhawa shot his third straight round of 70 yesterday to slip two positions to 17th after the penultimate round in the Nippon Golf Series in Toyko, Japan.
The tournament is restricted to winners on the Japanese tour in the 2003 season and the top-25 golfers on the current season's Order of Merit.
Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka fired an impressive seven-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead at 13-under 197 while Toshimitzu Izawa was placed second at ten-under 200 with overnight leader Taichi Tejima third on 201, according to information received here yesterday.
Randhawa had an early hiccup yesterday when he dropped a shot on the fourth. However, an eagle on the sixth bailed him out and his second bogey on the eighth saw him make the turn at level-par.
The Indian, who won the Suntory Open, then birdied the 16th but a bogey on his closing hole prevented him from breaking-par.


Bureau Report