<p>Gaganjeet Bhullar made a great charge with sizzling seven-under 65, the best card of the day, but Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng fired a majestic six-under-par 66 to open up a commanding five-shot lead over the field at the end of the third day in the inaugural USD 750,000 Chiangmai Golf Classic here on Saturday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Bhullar’s 65 took him to 11-under 205, while Digvijay Singh, lying tied second overnight slipped to tied fourth after a battling round of two-under 70, that put him at 12-under after a finishing bogey on par-5 18th. Digvijay, however, is still the best placed Indian among the five left after the cut.<br /><br />Shiv Kapur (68), Anirban Lahiri (68) and Himmat Rai (70) were all tied 26th at eight-under in the low-scoring event. Adding to the drama was Thongchai Jaidee, who needs a win to qualify for the Masters next month. Thongchai fired a 69 to move to 13-under, alongside Australia’s Matthew Stieger, but they are five shots behind Prayad. Digvijay is tied fourth with Marcus Both (65), Anton Haig (66), Kiradech Aphinabarnrat (66), Scott Hend (67) and Y E Yang (67).<br /><br />“I didn’t have the best start. I hit it close on the second and fourth holes but I wasn’t reading the greens correctly today. I just didn’t get the speed of the greens right. Then I hit it really good,” Digvijay said.<br /><br />Four-time Major champion Ernie Els of South Africa fired his lowest of the season with a 66 to move up to tied 15th place, eight shots behind the leader.<br /><br />Sharmila misses cut<br /><br />Smriti Mehra shot an even par 71 to make the cut in tied 25th place after two rounds at the Lalla Meryem Cup golf tournament in Morocco. Smriti is one-over 143 after two rounds. <br /><br />Things, however, were not so pleasant for fellow Indian Sharmila Nicollet, who missed the cut after a round of 71. Smriti had fired 78 in her first round. </p>
<p>Gaganjeet Bhullar made a great charge with sizzling seven-under 65, the best card of the day, but Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng fired a majestic six-under-par 66 to open up a commanding five-shot lead over the field at the end of the third day in the inaugural USD 750,000 Chiangmai Golf Classic here on Saturday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Bhullar’s 65 took him to 11-under 205, while Digvijay Singh, lying tied second overnight slipped to tied fourth after a battling round of two-under 70, that put him at 12-under after a finishing bogey on par-5 18th. Digvijay, however, is still the best placed Indian among the five left after the cut.<br /><br />Shiv Kapur (68), Anirban Lahiri (68) and Himmat Rai (70) were all tied 26th at eight-under in the low-scoring event. Adding to the drama was Thongchai Jaidee, who needs a win to qualify for the Masters next month. Thongchai fired a 69 to move to 13-under, alongside Australia’s Matthew Stieger, but they are five shots behind Prayad. Digvijay is tied fourth with Marcus Both (65), Anton Haig (66), Kiradech Aphinabarnrat (66), Scott Hend (67) and Y E Yang (67).<br /><br />“I didn’t have the best start. I hit it close on the second and fourth holes but I wasn’t reading the greens correctly today. I just didn’t get the speed of the greens right. Then I hit it really good,” Digvijay said.<br /><br />Four-time Major champion Ernie Els of South Africa fired his lowest of the season with a 66 to move up to tied 15th place, eight shots behind the leader.<br /><br />Sharmila misses cut<br /><br />Smriti Mehra shot an even par 71 to make the cut in tied 25th place after two rounds at the Lalla Meryem Cup golf tournament in Morocco. Smriti is one-over 143 after two rounds. <br /><br />Things, however, were not so pleasant for fellow Indian Sharmila Nicollet, who missed the cut after a round of 71. Smriti had fired 78 in her first round. </p>