Singh still in top 20 on cold and windy day

India's Jeev Milkha Singh battled to a four-over-par 76 in a tough third round at the Masters Tournament on Saturday, staying in the top-20 which gives him a shot at a return trip next year.

With high winds and cold temperatures sending scores spiralling at Augusta National Golf Club, Singh, the first Indian at the Masters, fought like the lion that is emblazoned on his golf bag to lie only five shots off the lead.

The Asian Tour number one rued a costly double bogey at the par five 15th hole when his approach shot rolled off the putting surface and back into the water hazard guarding the green. Singh fired one birdie on 13 and dropped three other bogeys, two from three putts.

"It was a tough day, one of the hardest of my career. I was going well and the only mistake I made was on the 15th. I got too cute with the third shot and I paid for it with a seven. I was trying to play for the middle of the green but I just tried to fly it in and it rolled back into the water. It was the mistake of the tournament so far," said Singh, who has a three-day score of seven-over-par 223.

Augusta National, famed for its slick and undulating greens, yielded only one sub-par round through Retief Goosen of South Africa. Australian Stuart Appleby leads the year's first Major on two-over-par 218.

"We didn't have many birdie chances. The greens weren't that firm but they were rolling fast. It's tough to judge distances on the greens or to put in a good stroke. You can't get too aggressive. If you do, you can have some long return putts," said Singh.

From the onset, Singh, winner of four titles and the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit crown last year, battled bravely against the elements. He turned in 38 with bogeys on the first and fourth holes and then three putted the 10th for the second successive day. He birdied the 13th with a good chip before coming to grief on 15.

"My course management was good today except for one hole. That's alright, I made one mistake. I'm human, I'm allowed to do that," said Singh.

"I'll take my current position right now. It wasn't easy. The last three holes are tough finishing holes and to make pars on those holes after a double on 15, I think it kind of evened things out," he said.

The top-16 and ties will earn a return ticket to next year's Masters but Singh is not thinking too far ahead, especially with another brutal day forecasted for Sunday with more high winds and temperatures dipping to near freezing temperatures.

"I'm just going to go out there and give it a good shot and see what happens. Today I was happy with my ball striking. I'm just thinking about hitting as many greens as possible and sticking to my course management," said Singh.

April 7, 2007

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