Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma slipped down the leaderboard at the Husqvarna British Masters after managing an even-par 72 in the third round at The Belfry on Saturday.
Sharma, who was tied 13th at the halfway stage, dropped to joint 33rd with a total of four-under 212 after 54 holes.
The 29-year-old carded four birdies, with two on each side of the Belfry course, but his progress was undone by two bogeys and a double bogey.
Sharma Unable To Maintain Momentum
Sharma had made a strong start to the tournament over the opening two rounds but struggled to build on that performance in the third.
The Indian will now look to finish strongly in the final round and regain some of the ground lost on Saturday.
Weather disruptions had affected the tournament throughout the week, although there were no delays on Saturday as the second round was completed and the leading group also began its third round.
Penge, Hillier Share Lead
England’s Marco Penge and New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier shared the lead heading into the final round.
The pair were both on 11-under when they returned at 7am to complete a demanding 30-hole schedule.
When play was suspended due to fading light, both were looking at birdie putts on the sixth green, with Penge around 23 feet from the hole and Hillier approximately 13 feet away.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin was one shot behind after completing the sixth hole, while Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti and South Africa’s Shaun Norris were both at nine-under.
Penge had taken a one-shot lead after 36 holes, having completed his final four holes of the second round early on Saturday morning.
Hillier, meanwhile, was level par over the closing four holes of his second round as he continued his comeback after a month at home in New Zealand following The Open.
Lead Changes In Third Round
Penge initially stretched his advantage to two shots when he holed an 18-footer on the first hole.
However, the advantage quickly disappeared after he went over the green on the next hole and failed to get up and down.
Hillier moved ahead after putting his approach close and making a two-putt birdie on the following par-five, while Penge dropped a shot after finding the water.
Penge responded on the fourth by putting his approach to tap-in range and restoring parity.
Both players then made par on the fifth before play was brought to an end as darkness fell over the Midlands.
The final round will determine whether Penge can convert his home advantage into a title or Hillier can claim a second British Masters triumph after his victory in 2023.
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