MUMBAI, JAN 28: Defending champion Parneet Garewal continued to hold fort with the final 18 holes to go on the third day of the Classic Stripes & Kores sponsored Western India Ladies Golf Championships being played at the par-70 Bombay Presidency Golf Club, here.The Chandigarh teenager, fired a five-over par 75, identical to her first day's card to tally a total of 222. Her second day's card of two-over helped her stay clear by five strokes over her nearest counterpart Urvashi Sethi Sodhi. The latter also had a round of 75 today but a dismal card of 79 on Day Two will see her work hard tomorrow.However, the player to watch today was young Shruti Khanna of Delhi. The promising 17-year-old, after two rounds of 78, came on her own today to finish three-over par for the day. Shruti started today with a bogey and further dropped shots on the par fours - five and seven. But from thereon there was no stopping her as she finished the back nine level par.Today's card saw her climb up from fifth to third spoton the standings here with a total of 229. The day's best card of one-over par 71 was carded by Nonita Lall Qureshi. The veteran golfer seems to have got out of the rut which saw her struggle with scores of 84 and 80 on the first two days. She started splendidly today firing birdies on the fourth, seventh and eighth to go two-under on her way out.But from thereon there was a temporary lapse of concentration for Nonita as she dropped a shot on the ninth and double bogeyed the 10th. She further bogeyed the 13th and 17th with the saving grace coming on the par-five 18th which she birdied.Leading scores (after 54 holes)222: Parneeta Garewal (75+72+75); 227: Urvashi Sethi Sodhi (73+79+75); 229: Shruti Khanna (78+78+73); 232: Ayesha Kapur (77+78+77), Vandana Agarwal (80+75+77); 233:Anjali Chopra (78+78+77);235: Nonita Lall Qureshi (84+80+71)Bronze (Handicap 19-29): 280: Maithili Khatau (97+88+95); 283: Anee-Marrie Hasselquist (96+95+92); 286: Amla Nath (98+95+93).Seniors (36-holeevent): 91: Myra Johnston; 97: M Favre.
