Singapore, Nov 8 (NationPress) In a remarkable display, India's Ajeetesh Sandhu achieved his third consecutive under-par round, propelling him 14 spots up the leaderboard to a Tied-36 position after the third round at the Moutai Singapore Open on Saturday. Sandhu recorded a 2-under 70, adding to his previous scores of 70 and 69 at the Singapore Island Country Club, finishing the day with a total score of 7-under 209. Currently, he trails the leaders by 8 strokes in this US$2 million tournament, with one round remaining. His round featured 5 birdies but was marred by three bogeys that prevented a stronger finish on this pivotal day.

Meanwhile, the competition remained intense throughout Saturday, with overnight leader Soomin Lee from Korea managing to maintain his lead after the third round, joined by compatriot Jeunghun Wang and James Piot from the United States.

Lee, who started the day two shots ahead, posted a 69, while both Wang and Piot produced 67s on the New Course at the Singapore Island Country Club. They currently lead at 15 under, just one stroke ahead of Japan’s Yosuke Asaji (65) and Korean Bio Kim (67), as this marks the penultimate event of the season on The International Series, a prestigious set of events on the Asian Tour that offer access to the LIV Golf League.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (68), a former winner of this event in 2019 at a different venue, is just one stroke behind, alongside Australian Kevin Yuan and South African Ian Snyman, both finishing with 69s.

Lee, who finished second on this course in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2011, is eager to secure his first title on the Asian Tour and The International Series. He birdied the par-five 18th after reaching the green in two, showcasing his potential for victory. Lee's round was bogey-free, featuring three birdies, two of which occurred on the front nine.

Reflecting on his performance, Lee stated, “Today was quite challenging. The front nine presented good opportunities, but I made some mistakes on a few putts and still managed a two-under. The back nine was even tougher due to the wind, but I persevered and finished with a long two-putt birdie on the last.”

The 32-year-old, who turned professional three years after the Asia-Pacific Amateur, has one previous victory on the DP World Tour at the 2016 Shenzhen International and has five wins on the Korean PGA Tour. He has competed on the Asian Tour for a decade, finishing second twice and recently earned a top-10 finish in the International Series Philippines two weeks ago. “I plan to focus on my own game tomorrow. Playing with Jeunghun Wang will be enjoyable,” he added.

Wang, a multiple-time tour winner with three victories on the DP World Tour, including a joint-sanctioned event with the Asian Tour, has not won in seven years. He exhibited his skill today, achieving six birdies and one bogey, and will need to rely on his past experience to break his winless streak on Sunday.

“I hit the ball well today, but my putting wasn't as strong as yesterday. I'm pleased with today's round, and I’m looking forward to the next 18 holes. The first round was relatively calm, but the second and third rounds had significant wind, so I’m proud of my five-under today,” he remarked.

Piot, the 2021 US Amateur champion, began competing on the Asian Tour three years ago and is still in pursuit of his first win. His best result so far was a fifth-place finish in the International Series Egypt in 2022. He also birdied the last hole to level the score and played without any bogeys. His round started perfectly with birdies on the first two holes.

Asaji, who recently tied for second in the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus, earlier this year won one of Japan's premier events: The Crowns tournament. He has positioned himself for another potential victory tomorrow, recording the best round of the day, though he missed an eight-footer for birdie on the last hole.

“This week, I found it challenging to read the greens, so I focused intensely on my putts. I aim to repeat today's performance and hope to enjoy my play tomorrow,” he shared.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena carded a 70 and stands at 10 under, well-positioned to advance in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series rankings. Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, the leader of The International Series rankings, and Kazuki Higa from Japan, the merit list leader, both missed the cut. Tabuena currently holds second place in the rankings and third in the merit list.