Liang retains lead at Indian Open; Chopra slips

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NEW DELHI (AP) -- Liang Wen-chong of China retained the lead in the $1 million Hero Honda Indian Open with a 1-under 71 Saturday for a three-round total of 14-under 202.

Liang, who shot a course-record 12-under 60 Thursday, led by five strokes after both the first and second rounds. That lead was cut down to one stroke by Australia's Adam Blyth whose 6-under 66 gave him 13-under 203.

Australia's Unho Park, who shot 66 Saturday, is third on 204.

"I feel good about my game, but this is the first time I'm leading after three rounds and that's something new to me," said Liang, who last year became the first Chinese player to finish No. 1 in the Asian Tour.

Liang sank four birdies but squandered shots through a double-bogey on the par-4 second hole and a bogey on the 13th.

"I wasn't playing safe, but you can't really be aggressive here as the holes are tough," Liang said.

Blyth's round featured eight birdies and two bogeys.

"I'm surprised with where I am at the moment," Blyth said. "After the first two rounds, I thought Liang was going to run away with it, but now I have a chance."

Singapore's Lam Chih Bing was fourth on 206 after a 5-under par 67.

The fifth position saw a four-way tie on 207 between Indians Jeev Milkha Singh and Ashok Kumar, England's Steven Tiley and New Zealander Mark Brown.

Sweden's Daniel Chopra slipped from Friday's No. 2 position to the joint-18th spot after a poor two-over 74 in the third round. One double-bogey and four bogies Saturday ruined his return to the course where he learnt golf as a young boy.

Chopra was runner-up in 1995 and '96 at the Indian Open.