Ormsby maintains lead at Panasonic Open India

NEW DELHI (AFP) –

Wade Ormsby of Australia plays a shot during the Panasonic Open India at the Delhi Golf Club in New Delhi on April 6, 2013. Ormsby maintained his lead at the Panasonic Open India, breathing a sigh of relief after he birdied his last hole to card a two-over-par third round 74.

Australia’s Wade Ormsby maintained his lead at the Panasonic Open India, breathing a sigh of relief after he birdied his last hole to card a two-over-par third round 74 on Saturday.

Ormsby’s three-day total is an eight-under-par 208 and he takes a one-shot lead over Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing, who dropped four shots in his last five holes to score a 73.

India’s Shiv Kapur and Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit are tied for third place after rounds of 72 and 73 respectively, while another local hopeful Jyoti Randhawa is in fifth place, carding a 67 at Asian Tour event.

Ormsby, 33, who has been holding the lead since the first round, slipped to second place at the turn and trailed Lam by three shots at that stage.

He parred his next seven holes before he made his second birdie of the day on the closing 18th.

“It was definitely a sign of relief when I birdied that hole. My putter was frustrating me a bit and it was overall a tough day,” he said.

Lam, who is hoping to end his five-year title drought this week, remained positive.

“I’m not going to dwell on what has happened in the last few holes. More importantly, I’m still in it and I look forward to tomorrow,” he said.