Feroz Ali, despite a one-over par 72, held a slender lead of two strokes, thanks to a birdie on the finishing hole in the third round of the Hero Honda Western Open at the par-71 Poona Club Golf course in Pune on Thursday.

The Kolkatan has a three-day total of 12-under par 201.

Vijay Kumar, despite a card of three-under par 68 had to share the second spot with Harinder Gupta who played a brilliant round of 6-under 65.

SSP Chowrasia submitted a card of 67 to take fourth place while three players -- Rahul Ganapathy, Gurbaaz Mann and Arjun Singh [Images] -- share the fifth spot at seven-under 206.

Local challenger Gurki Shergill, who at the end of the turn was trailing the leader by just a shot, lost four strokes in his back nine and is in eighth spot along with Sanjay Kumar at six-under 207. The Pune lad, who is supported by HSBC Global Technologies, played an even-par round today.

Leading scores (after 54 holes) (Pros): 201 Feroz Ali (63,66,72); 203 Harinder Gupta (68,70,65), Vijay Kumar (71,64,68); 204 SSP Chowrasia (66,71,67); 206 Rahul Ganapathy (71,67,68), Gurbaaz Mann (70,67,69), Arjun Singh (67,66,73); 207 Sanjay Kumar (66,69,72); Gurki Shergil (68,68,71); 208 Sankar Das (70,71,67), C Muniyappa (68,69,71); 209 Vinod Kumar (71,71,67), Vivek Bhandari (69,68,72), Ashok Kumar (72,66,71).

Amateurs: 231 VT Date (80,78,73); 240 Mehul Rastogi (75,78,87).