Indian golfer S. Chikkarangappa settled for a three-day total of 13-under-par 203 to finish second, a shot behind leader Gavin Green in the penultimate round of the PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship here on Friday.Green is presently on the verge of claiming his first professional win. He carded a blistering six-under-par 66 to lead by one shot. The 22-year-old Malaysian, who started the round with a two-shot advantage, kept his momentum going by firing nine birdies against three bogeys for a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club's garden course.
His playing partner Chikkarangappa scored a 67 while Indonesia's Danny Masrin registered a 66 to move into third place with Pavit Tangkamolprasert (68) of Thailand on 206 in the $46,600 event.Japan's Shunya Takeyasu and local hope Mohd. Iylia Jamil stayed a further three shots back in fifth following respective rounds of 68 and 71 at the championship which is the fifth leg of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) schedule this season.Green, who joined the play-for-pay ranks last June, started superbly with three straight birdies before dropping a shot on the fourth. He recovered strongly with five birdies over the next eight holes but stumbled with another bogey on the 13th. He went on to add another birdie on the 16th but gave the shot back after closing with a bogey."I played alright although I made a couple of silly mistakes. I got off to a good start and that gave me some momentum heading into the round. My putting was solid. I guess that was the key for me today," said Green, who finished second in the last edition.
Green is bracing himself for a challenging final day, especially with an in-form Chikkarangappa snapping on his heels, and is determined not to take his lead lightly heading into the all-important final round."It was fun playing with Chikkarangappa and Pavit today. We were just trying to make lots of birdies and feeding off one another out there. It's going to be the same game for me tomorrow. Nothing will change," added Green.