Aman Raj cards 63 to storm into third-round lead

Hyderabad: Patna-based professional Aman Raj carded an excellent seven-under 63 to storm into the third-round lead with a total of 16-under 194 at the Telangana Golconda Masters golf tournament here on Friday.

Aman (66-65-63), a winner on the PGTI this season, jumped four spots from his overnight fifth place as a result of his flawless 63. Delhi's Sachin Baisoya (66-61-68) and Chandigarh's Akshay Sharma (61-65-69) were a close tied second at 15-under 195 and also among the top contenders going into the last day. Aman Raj, who was five shots off the lead at the start of the day, sank his first birdie of the day with a 12-feet conversion on the fourth after which there was no looking back for him.

The 28-year-old, a two-time winner on the PGTI, then drained an eagle from 50 feet on the sixth, knocked in a 15-footer for birdie on the seventh and produced a spectacular chip-in for birdie on the eighth. Aman's exceptional chipping and putting helped him add two more birdies on the back-nine. Sachin Baisoya's 68 featured three birdies and a bogey including two long conversions. Akshay Sharma's 69 included three birdies and two bogeys. Ravi Kumar (67) was placed fourth at 13-under 197. Kshitij Naveed Kaul's eight-under 62 was the lowest round of the day and it placed him tied ninth at nine-under 201. Local lad Mohd Azhar was tied 18th at seven-under 203. Among the prominent names, TATA Steel PGTI Rankings leader Om Prakash Chouhan was tied 15th at eight-under 202 while Rahil Gangjee was tied 39th at even-par 210.