Golf: Singapore's Mardan Mamat stretches lead to three at Bangladesh Open

Mardan Mamat of Singapore plays a shot during the first round of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Golf Open at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka on May 27. He fired a three-under 68 on Friday to widen his advantage at the top of the leaderboard of the Bashu
Mardan Mamat of Singapore plays a shot during the first round of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Golf Open at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka on May 27. He fired a three-under 68 on Friday to widen his advantage at the top of the leaderboard of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open. -- PHOTO: AFP 

SINGAPORE golfer Mardan Mamat fired a three-under 68 on Friday to widen his advantage at the top of the leaderboard of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open.

The 47-year-old, who began the day with a one-shot lead, is now on 12-under 201 and is three strokes clear of closest challenger Indian Khalin Joshi (65) at the US$300,000 (S$405,000) Asian Tour event.

A further shot back is South Korean Lee Soo Min, whose 65 at the Kurmitola Golf Club has moved him up to sole possession of third spot with a 205 total.

Mardan is chasing his fifth Asian Tour title and has been in sparkling form of late. He captured the Manila Masters last November before adding the Asean Tour's Sabah Masters two months later.

The veteran, now into his 21st season as a professional, is coming off a gritty third-placed finish earlier this month at the €1 million (S$1.5 million) Mauritius Open.

He is currently 16th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with US$84,269 in earnings for this year.

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