Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 23: Spain’s Elvira Nacho reclaimed his place atop the leaderboard by posting a six-under-par 66 to snatch the outright third round lead at the Maybank Championship on Saturday.

The 32-year-old had earlier taken a share of the opening round lead but slipped a spot down after carding a 72 on Friday.

The Spaniard however, responded well by compiling a three-day total of 13-under-par 203 to stay ahead of the chasing pack by two shots at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

American David Lipsky, who finished second at the Maybank Championship in 2017, made his move by signing for a 67 to take second place on his own. Australia’s Scott Hend and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond are bunched in third place together with Maximillian Kieffer of Germany.

Hend, a nine-time Asian Tour winner, is seeking his first win since 2016 while Jazz is chasing his fourth Asian Tour victory and second in three months, as they both head into the final round, three shots back of Elvira.

Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman enjoy his best round of the week so far by carding a 68 to move inside the top-10 to take a share of ninth place that also includes South Africa’s Louis De Jager and the English pair of Andy Sullivan and Ross Fisher.

Did you know?

• David Lipsky signaled his arrival on the Asian Tour by winning the 2012 Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.
• He subsequently went on to win the HANDA FALDO Cambodian Classic with a play-off victory over Filipino Elmer Salvador, chipping in for birdie in the first extra hole.
• He became the first Asian Tour member to win the Omega European Masters in Switzerland after defeating Graeme Storm on the first play-off hole in 2014.
• He also enjoyed four other top-10s including a second-place finish at The Championship in Singapore to cap a successful year in 2014 where he was crowned the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
• Lipsky’s maiden visit to South Africa last year saw him win the Alfred Dunhill Championship for his second win outside Asia.
• Scott Hend is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings during a season in 2016.
• The Australian was also voted as Asian Tour Players’ Player of the Year by fellow peers in 2016.
• Jazz currently leads the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings and is making his fourth start on the Asian Tour this week.
• Jazz broke into the world’s top-100 for the first time in his career after claiming his third Asian Tour title at the season-opening event in Singapore in January.
• That victory also earned him a coveted spot in The Open, where he made his Major debut last year.
• Siddikur Rahman wrote a slice of history in 2010 when he became the first player from Bangladesh to win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open. He went on to notch his second win on the Asian Tour at the 2013 Hero Indian Open
• The Bangladeshi became the first sportsman from his country to qualify for the Olympics on merit and was accorded the honour of becoming Bangladesh’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

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