New Delhi, September 30: Reigning Mahindra `Player of the year' Mukesh Kumar played a bogeyless round for a stunning five-under-67, and joined favourite Jyoti Randhawa in the lead after the third round of the Honda-Siel-Nike PGA Golf Championship here today. Overnight sole leader Randhawa struggled to match his brilliant second round score as he carried three bogies on the front nine before levelling the scores with three birdies on the turn carding a round of par-72 at the Rs. 30 lakh event. Randhawa was seven-under-209 for a three-day aggregate and shares the spot with Mukesh Kumar, who had carded 72 and 70 in the first two rounds. The leaders are one stroke ahead of three pretenders - Shiv Prakash (74,69,67), Daniel Chopra (68, 73, 69) and the opening day leader Vijay Kumar (67, 73, 70) - who are holding the joint second place at six-under-par 210. Jyoti could not consolidate his position today as he dropped three strokes bogeying par-4 2nd and 3rd, and par-3 7th. The two-time Hero Honda Masters champion, however, returned with some good putting and made birdies at 13th, 14th and 18th holes to give himself a chance to win the elusive trophy. Mukesh birdied 6th, 8th, 14th, 15th and 16th holes togive randhawa a run for his money as the leaderboard got crowded with a round to go. In action on the amateur side, Amit Luthra led his protege Ashok Kumar by one stroke. Luthra shot a 72 to be two-over 218, while Ashok was at 219. Scores (after 54 holes):209 - Mukesh Kumar (72,70,67), Jyoti Randhawa (70,67,72); 210 - Shiv Prakash (74,69,67), Daniel Chopra (68,73,69), Vijay Kumar (67,73,70); 213 - Basad Ali (73,72,68), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (69,73,71), Feroz Ali (68,74,71), Digvijay Singh (71,69,73); 214 - Rafiq Ali (71,70,73); 216 - Devendra Patel (72,71,73), Jeev Milkha Singh (74,70,72); 217 - Sanjay Kumar (72,74,71). Amateurs: 218 - Amit Luthra (70,76,72); 219 - Ashok Kumar (75,72,72); 226 - Kapil Dev (71,77,78), Mohammed Wazir (80,67,79).
