Hong Kong: Shiv tied 2,Manley ahead

December 7, 2013. India’s Shiv Kapur ensured that he does not want to miss his golden chance to win his maiden title on the European Tour as he carded superb four-under-par 66 to stay just a shot behind leader Stuart Manley. The 31-year-old, Shiv has jointly entered the final round of Hong Kong Open with Australian Wade Ormsby. Both have three round total score of 201.

“Today is a day of putting yourself in position. Obviously there’s still a long way to go in this golf tournament, but the more birdies I can make today, the easier it will be for tomorrow,” said Kapur.

Kapur is also looking forward to his second Asian Tour victory after 2005, when he won Volvo Masters Asia. In his consistent form, he is  confident enough to return to the winner’s circle again.

[highlight] The key is to stay patient and it showed when I was rewarded with my birdies. If I can continue to keep the mistakes off the card, I stand a good chance, says Kapur [/highlight]

“The key is to stay patient and it showed when I was rewarded with my birdies. If I can continue to keep the mistakes off the card, I stand a good chance,” said Kapur, who claimed his maiden Asian Tour title in Thailand during his rookie year in 2005.

The leader, Manley fired a four under par 66 on day three at Hong Kong Golf Club to reach ten under par, a stroke ahead of Australian Wade Ormsby and India’s Shiv Kapur.

The 34-year-old Welshman, whose best finish on The European Tour came when he was ninth in Mallorca in 2010, made headlines last month when he followed a hole-in-one at the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf with an 11 on the next hole.

“I wanted to be last group so I’m delighted,” said Manley. “I’ve led quite a few times on the Challenge Tour so hopefully that will put me in good stead for tomorrow.

“Winning would mean the world really. Obviously there is a lot of golf to go and I’ve just got to enjoy tomorrow and see what happens. To be a winner on The European Tour would be great.”

Like Manley, Ormsby and Kapur are yet to win on The European Tour, and both also carded rounds of 66.

While the top three are all chasing a first success, the three players tied for fourth all know what it takes to win – and two of them have done so in this event.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez, his fellow Spaniard and the 2007 winner José Manuel Lara and England’s Steve Webster all shot rounds of 65 to reach eight under.

Much experienced Indian Jyoti Randhawa also shot a round of 66 to remain tied 15th along with compatriot Anirban Lahiri. While, other Indians, SSP Chowrasia and Himmat Rai are tied 29th and Sujjan Singh lies at 66 at the end of  three rounds at the Hong Kong Open.