Ghogale maintains lead at LG Pune Amateur Golf

Pune, Nov 15 (UNI) BPCL's Tarun Ghogale fired a penultimate round of four over 75 to maintain a two stroke advantage atop the leader board at the LG Pune Amateur Golf Championship at the par-71 Poona Club Golf course here today.

Ghogale's tournament tally stands at three over 216. The event, managed by Tiger Sports Marketing, is the eighth leg of the LG Indian Amateur Golf Tour.

Oil India's Manav Das was two strokes behind in second place at 218 after shooting a penultimate round 76 while Indian Oil's Gagan Verma brought in a card of 77 to occupy the third place at 221.

Karan Vasudeva was a further three strokes behind in fourth place at 224. He shot a 75 today. Local lad Saurabh Bhaduri was in fifth place at 225 courtesy a penultimate round of 76 while Simarjeet Singh (79), L Selvadurai (75) and Aditya Bhandarkar (76) were tied sixth at 226.

Ghogale's round commenced in terrible fashion with back-to-back bogeys. He pulled back with a birdie on the third but dropped a shot on the seventh to make the turn at two over. On the back nine, he birdied the 11th, bogeyed the 16th and double bogeyed the 18th to end the day at 75. ''The greens were lightning fast today and it was difficult to read the lines. I had a four stroke advantage going into the final hole, but a double bogey cost me,'' said Ghogale.

''This is the first time I am leading after the third round. As for tomorrow, I plan to enjoy myself and the rest will take care of itself,'' he added.

Manav's round began steadily with two pars but a double bogey on the third and bogeys on the fourth and ninth where he missed short five feet par putts set him back as he turned at four over. On the back nine, he birdied the 11th but dropped shots on the 13th, 15th to end the day at 76. ''I am really disappointed with the way I hit the ball today,'' said Manav. ''The pin positions were tough but I missed some easy putts,'' he added.

Gagan Verma started badly with bogeys on the first, second and third followed by a double bogey on the fourth and bogeys on the fifth and sixth. He pulled back with birdies on the seventh and eighth to turn at five over. On the back nine, he birdied the 11th but dropped shots on the 12th and 17th. Karan Vasudeva had a birdie on the 11th and bogeys on the first, seventh, eighth and a double bogey on the third.

Scores (After 54 holes): 216 Tarun Ghogale (70, 71, 75); 218 Manav Das (68, 74, 76); 221 Gagan Verma (71, 73, 77); 224 Karan Vasudeva (72, 77, 75); 225 Saurabh Bhaduri (75, 74, 76); 226 Simarjeet Singh (74, 73, 79), Aditya Bhandarkar (73, 77, 76), L Selvadurai (74, 77, 75); 227 Navtez Singh (74, 74, 79), Rudresh Sharma (76, 74, 77); 228 Pawan Kumar (75, 73, 80), Santosh Sathe (75, 78, 75); 229 Jasjeet Singh (76, 77, 76); Rahul Bajaj (75, 80, 74), Col. SK Lakra (77, 78, 74); 230 Moin Malak (73, 77, 80); 231 Aditya Singh (DGC) (76, 76, 79), VT Date (76, 77, 78).

UNI