Bangalore's C Muniyappa today fired a hole-in-one on way to a course record score of nine- under-61 to seize the third round lead at the Rs 1 crore CG Open, the penultimate event of 2014 PGTI Super Series, being played at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club in suburban Chembur.
Muniyappa, a former Indian Open champion, emerged a top contender for the title after his third round effort that moved his total to 14-under-196.
Defending champion Chikkarangappa, who also hails from Bangalore, came up with a 64 to be one shot off the lead in second place.
Lucknow's Sanjay Kumar, the overnight joint leader, dropped to third at 12-under-198 after a 68 today. He mixed an eagle and four birdies with two bogeys and a double-bogey.
Abhijit Singh Chadha of Chandigarh submitted a card of 63 to move up from tied 13th to tied fourth. Chadha landed his wedge shots within a foot for eagle on the fourth and birdie on the 16th.
Mukesh Kumar of Mhow (MP) posted a 67 to share fourth place with Abhijit at 11-under-199.
Muniyappa (69-66-61) fired a blistering nine-under-61 to shatter the previous course record of 63 that was jointly held by Rashid Khan, Angad Cheema, Md Zamal Hossain Mollah, Ashok Kumar, Rafick Ali Mollah, Karanjit Singh Sandhu and Gurbaaz Mann.
Muniyappa, who began the day tied at sixth place, looked in ominous form from the very outset as he birdied the first and third and followed that up with a chip-in from the bunker for eagle on the fourth.
He then delivered the first hole-in-one of the tournament with an exceptional six-iron tee shot on the eighth to pocket a sum of Rs 1 lakh.
The 37-year-old continued to march ahead on the back- nine as he converted a 30-footer for birdie on the 17th and picked up three more strokes from a range of seven to 10 feet.
Muniyappa, who won his last title at the 2009 Indian Open, dropped a lone bogey on the 15th.
N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka also made a hole-in-one on the 13th during his round of 72 and ended the day tied 17th at three-under-207.
