Coimbatore: Holding on to a slender two-stroke advantage, in-form Mukesh Kumar carded one over 73 for a tally of 5-under 211 on the penultimate day of the second edition of the Cotton City Open Golf Championship on Friday.

Strong challenger Feroz Ali was second with 213, while Delhi veteran Rohtas Singh placed third with 215 and Mohammed Salim of Kolkata stayed in fourth at 216.

Another Kolkata professional S S P Chowrasia returned a card of one-under 71 to jump to joint fifth position, along with Ajay Gupta and defending champion Shiv Prakash.

Bidding for a hat-trick of titles in the Southern swing of the Hero Honda Indian Golf tour, Mukesh went even till the fourth hole and scored a dramatic eagle on the fifth. Landing his second shot about 15 feet from the pin, he holed for an easy eagle. He had a forgettable back nine going over on 10th and missed a 2-foot par putt on the 11th.

Mukesh also had two more bogies on the 14th and 16th, with the birdie on the 13th proving to be the saving grace. On the other hand, Feroz just could not get his putting right, especially on the return journey. Carding an even par score after the first nine, Feroz bogeyed the 11th, when he had just five-foot putt for par.

Going for the pin on the par-3 14th,he hit into the bunker. Despite a good chip from there, Feroz went over and double bogeyed the 16th and landed a bogey on the 17th. But he earned some respite with a good birdie on the last hole.

PTI