Chikka, Sandhu slip down in Taiwan

Taipei, Nov 15 (PTI) Indian duo of S Chikkarangappa and Ajeetesh Sandhu slipped down the leaderboard on the third day of the USD 400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open here on Saturday.

Chikka (76), who was in the Top-10 after two rounds, is now T-32, while Sandhu (72), dropped from T-18 to T-22.

Among other Indians, Khalin Joshi (73) is T-44, Viraj Madappa (76) is T-57 as is Pukhraj Singh Gill (75).

At the top, local hero Hung Chien-yao was leading by one shot over the fast-charging Thai Ekpharit Wu, who made a hole-in-one and an eagle, in his 66.

Chinese Taipei’s Hung shot a two-under-par 70 to move to 16-under for the tournament.

Wu, lying second, carded a 65 that included a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth hole, while he nearly made an albatross on the par-five 17th before securing the three. He had started the day six shots behind Hung.

Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (67) is in solo third place at 11-under, while Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit (69) holds fourth at nine under. All four players are looking for their first win on the Asian Tour.

Three players are tied fifth on eight-under, including two from Chinese Taipei – Chi Huang (68) and Liu Yen-hung (68) – plus Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (70). PTI Cor ATK