Pattaya, Thailand, April 9: Rashid Khan continued to be the top Indian at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup with one more round to go. The two-time Asian Tour winner, who says he is slowly finding his rhythm added 3-under 69l to his earlier rounds of 71-66 and is now within sniffing distance of a Top-10 finish. He is 10-under 206 and four shots behind Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai (68) and Korea’s Bio Kim (68) who are both on 14 under.
Among women the two Indian stars Tvesa Malik (70) and Diksha Dagar (74) are both T-54 as another Thailand’s rising female star Jaravee Boonchant (66) is at 13-under, one shot. Behind Phachara and Bio.
Amateur Thai Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat (70) and American lefthander Paul Peterson (68) are also at 13-under in tied-second overall.
The US$750,000 tournament marks the first time the Asian Tour have staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET).
Rashid had a colourful card with three birdies, an eagle 2 on Par-4 14 and three bogeys in his 69. Among other Indian men DGC Open by Mastercard runner-up Ajeetesh Sandhu carded 68 and at 9-under he was T-18 while S Chikkarangappa (69) was 7-under and T-29 and Viraj Madappa (71) was T-48.
The tight leaderboard suggests a thrilling final day tomorrow which will also be a rematch between Phachara and Bio, who played together in the final pairing of the Laguna Phuket Championship in December which the former won.
Bio Kim is looking to secure his first title on the Asian Tour. He led the Phuket event by one shot from Phachara before tying for second place.
Last season’s Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim from Korea carded a 69 and is 10 under, while current number one Sihwan Kim return a 71 and is a shot further behind.
Read also:
Chikka best Indian male and Diksha top Indian woman at Asian Mixed Cup golf
Rashid top Indian at Asian Mixed Cup, Tvesa and Diksha make cut
