Rookie Sadom still holds the lead

---

Young Thai talent Sadom Kaewkanjana stands on the verge of his Asian Tour breakthrough after signing for a three-under-par 68 on Friday to take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open.

The 20-year-old Sadom, who is making his first start on Tour after coming through the Qualifying School last December, marked his card with four birdies against a bogey to stay atop the leaderboard with an 18-under-par 195 total at the Kurmitola Golf Club.

Sadom’s overnight three-shot lead was reduced to two by his closest rival Rashid Khan of India, who narrowed the gap after carding a bogey-free 67, highlighted by an eagle and two birdies, to sit in second place at the US$350,000 Asian Tour full-field event.

India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu returned with the day’s best score of a 65, thanks to six birdies, including four in-a-row from the 11th hole, to trail by six shots in solo third in the tournament, which is celebrating its fifth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Siddikur Rahman remained the highest-placed Bangladeshi after posting a flawless 68 to tie in fourth place with Australia’s Maverick Antcliff (69) on 202. Last year’s joint runner-up Jack Harrison of England settled a further shot back in sixth following a 68.

Sadom, who has already broken through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last month, is chasing to become the third Thai player following Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017) to win the National Open of Bangladesh.

Should he accomplish the feat on Sunday, he would also become the record fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour.

The Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 welcomed a new title sponsor in the National Bank Ltd, a public limited bank in Bangladesh. The tournament has been named in honour of the father of the nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Scores after round 3 of the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open being played at the par 71, 6642 Yards Kurmitola GC course (am - denotes amateur):

195 - Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) 65-62-68.

197 - Rashid Khan (IND) 66-64-67.

201 - Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 70-66-65.

202 - Siddikur Rahman (BAN) 66-68-68, Maverick Antcliff (AUS) 63-70-69.

203 - Jack Harrison (ENG) 68-67-68.

204 - Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65-71-68, Akbar Hossain (BAN) 67-68-69, Berry Henson (USA) 68-67-69.

205 - Viraj Madappa (IND) 68-66-71.

206 - Karandeep Kochhar (IND) 69-67-70.

207 - Trevor Simsby (USA) 66-70-71, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 65-70-72.

208 - Wei-lun Wang (TPE) 65-72-71, Md. Sajib Ali (BAN) 66-70-72, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 67-69-72, Mikumu Horikawa (JPN) 67-67-74.