October 12th 2012, New Delhi, India: Delhi’s Shamim Khan carded a blistering eight-under-64 in round three of the BILT Open 2012 to snatch the lead from fellow Delhi professional Rashid Khan. Shamim thus ended the day with a total of 16-under-200 at his home course, the Delhi Golf Club (DGC). Rashid Khan, another DGC-based professional, was placed second at 12-under-204.
Shamim Khan (64-72-64), currently third on the Rolex Rankings, fired a second score of eight-under-64 for the first time in the same tournament. Shamim was on song from the very outset as he birdied the second after landing his approach shot within three feet of the pin. The 34-year-old then had a golden phase of four successive birdies on the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Shamim sank a 30-footer on the sixth and landed his tee shot within a few inches of the flag on the par-3 seventh.
Shamim went past Rashid’s score on the 11th hole after the latter conceded a bogey on the 10th and double-bogey on the 11th as a result of a couple of poor tee shots. Shamim further consolidated his lead with birdies on the 15th, 16th and 18th. He converted a 25-feet putt on the 16th.
“It’s great to have shot two scores of eight-under in the same tournament. I have just dropped one bogey in the first three rounds which has helped my progress in this event. I sank some long putts today and that gave me a huge boost. I’ll continue to concentrate on my 3-wood and putter in the final round. I’ve won two events at the DGC but both those victories were in the matchplay format. I’m now keen to win my first strokeplay event at my home course,” said Shamim.
Rashid Khan (65-66-73), the overnight leader, returned a relatively quiet one-over-73 on Friday that placed him second. Rashid’s round was punctuated by birdies on the eighth and 14th, a bogey on the 10th and a double-bogey on the 11th.
Md Islam (67-74-66) of Patna is placed third at nine-under-207 while DGC’s Manav Jaini (69-71-68) is a further stroke back in fourth position.
Indian star Jyoti Randhawa is in joint ninth position at four-under-212.
