Ajeetesh Sandhu lying tied fifth in Asian Tour Q-School

Ajeetesh Sandhu dropped a late double bogey and another bogey in the last three holes, but stayed in top-5 after the third round of the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School. Sandhu, who had a share of the first round lead, is now 12-under with rounds of 63-70-68. The Qualifier is being played on two courses -- the A and B course and the C and D at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin.

The next best Indians are Karandeep Kochhar (67-73-69) and Aryan Roopa Anand (69-71-69) and both are 4-undder for three rounds. They are T-45. Arjun Sharma (70) at T-96, Pukhraj Singh Gill (71) at T-110, Anshul Kabthiyal (73) and S Chikkarangappa (73) at T-123, Rashid Khan (74) and Honey Baisoya (72) at T-130 are still in the fray as top-35 earn Tour cards.

Kyungnam Kang, who has 20 years of experience in the professional game drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole soon after an eagle on 15, on the A and B course to open up a three-shot lead after the third round. He fired a six-under-par 65 to sit at 16-under with two rounds remaining in the school -- which after Saturday’s final round will decided the top-35.

Behind the leader, Kang, are American Christopher Hickman (65) plus Japan’s Takumi Murakami (66) and Taiki Yoshida (67) who are tied for second. Sandhu (68) and second-round leader Australian Jack Thompson (70) are a shot further back.

Lying in a tie for seventh five off top spot are Australia’s Lawry Flynn (65), Yosuke Asaji (67) from Japan, and Korean Doyeob Mun (70). The top-70 and ties will make the second and final cut of the week. PTI COR TAP