Hyderabad, Aug 23 (IANS): Two early birdies and then another in the closing stages helped overnight leader Amandeep Drall keep her lead after the second round of the 12th Leg of the Hero Womens Pro Tour at the Hyderabad golf club here on Thursday.
Amandeep, who began the second day with a three-shot lead, is now 3-over 145 and still ahead by two shots over second placed Sonam Chugh, who carded 73 after her first round of 74 to be sole second at 5-over 147.
Tvesa Malik, who shared the second place with Sonam after the first day, dropped to sole third after a second successive 3-over 74.
Amandeep will need to ensure she does not drop any early shots and allow Sonam and Tvesa to get any closer, or else it will be a tense battle in the final round on Friday.
Amandeep, who has been on a good run with three wins in the last four starts, birdied the second and third to extend her overnight lead.
A triple bogey on the Par-3 fourth wiped away Thursday's gains, and she bogeyed again on the Par-5 seventh and Par-4 10th. Yet another bogey on the Par-4 16th meant she was 4-over for the day, before a late birdie on the Par-4 17th gave her some respite.
Sonam double bogeyed the Par-3 fourth and turned in 2-over 37, but again suffered a double on the Par-4 10th. Birdies on 11th and 18th salvaged the round for her as she finished at 73, the day's best score.
Tvesa had two birdies against five bogeys in her 74 and she is 6-over 148 in third place.
Amateur Sneha Singh (74) had a fine front nine with one birdie and no bogeys, but she had three bogeys, a double bogey and just one birdie on back nine for a second half of 4-over 40 and a card of 74.
Suchitra Ramesh (75) is tied with Sneha Singh for the 4th place, while Millie Saroha (76) is sixth.
In the final round, Khushi Khanijau and Afshan Fatima will start proceedings in the first two-ball, followed by Ayesha Kapur and Siddhi Kapoor.
Millie, Suchitra and amateur Sneha will comprise the penultimate group, while Tvesa, Sonam and Amandeep will tee off last in the leader group.