DHAKA: Thailand’s Thitiphun Chuayprakong remained firmly on course Friday to win his maiden Asian Tour title after opening up a three-shot lead at the end of the penultimate round in the $300,000 Bashundhara Bangladesh Open.

Overnight leader Thitiphun, who held a two-shot advantage heading into the round, carded a six-under-par 65 to maintain his fine form.

He rattled off four straight birdies starting from the third hole before sinking an eagle-three on seven and another birdie on eight to turn in with a sensational 28.

The 23-year-old Thai, however, dropped his first shot in 29 holes after the turn and stumbled with a double-bogey on the 13th.

But he recovered with two birdies on his way home for a three-day total of 17-under-par 196 at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka.

“I stayed focused out there,” Thitiphun said in quotes provided by the organizers.

“I felt very confident. I was a little bit excited when I started out but I played with no pressure. I had fun out there. I just want to keep playing the same tomorrow.”

Compatriot Sutijet Kooratanapisan and India’s S. Chikkarangappa matched Thitiphun’s efforts for the day to share second place on 199.

Gaganjeet Bhullar, also of India, was one shot back in fourth place following a five-under-par 66.

Sutijet, also chasing a breakthrough victory, sank two eagles and four birdies on his round although he also recorded two bogeys.

“I putted really good today. I had two eagles from greenside and it’s the first time I had two eagles in a round,” he said.

South Korea’s Soomin Lee, who held second place overnight, slipped to 13th position after a miserable three-over-par 74.

Reavie lead at Pebble Beach

American Chez Reavie fired an eight-under-par 63 on Thursday to upstage major champions Jordan Spieth and Jason Day in the first round of the PGA Tour Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Reavie fired an eagle and seven birdies with one bogey on the par-71 Monterey Peninsula course, one of three in use for the tournament along with Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill — both par-72 layouts.

World number one Spieth, winner of the Masters and US Open last year, opened with a one-under 71 at Spyglass Hill, as did reigning PGA Champion Day of Australia.

“A bit weak,” was Spieth’s assessment of his round, which included four birdies and three bogeys.

Spieth said a shaky short game led to setbacks on some of the course’s easier holes.

“I played the hardest holes on this golf course four under par,” Spieth said. “And then I played all the easy ones over par... I’m not quite dialed in with my wedges or with the short game right now.”

Nevertheless, Spieth said he wasn’t discouraged, with the two courses he considers easier coming up in the rotation in an event in which pros play alongside celebrity amateurs in the opening rounds.

“To actually shoot one under with what I felt like I should have shot today is promising,” he said.

Day teed off on 10 at Spyglass had three bogeys and two birdies in his first nine holes. He managed to get under par for the day with two birdies coming in.

Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson collected five birdies in one six-hole stretch at Pebble Beach and added two more for a seven under 65 and a share of second. He was joined at seven under by Australian Cameron Smith and American Bronson Burgoon, who both shot 64 at Monterey Peninsula.

England’s Justin Rose was among seven players at six under.