Jaiveer Virk held on to his nerve to return a card of two-under 70 and displace the overnight leader Amandeep Johl on the penultimate day of the Rs 600,000 Padampat Singhania Open at the Noida Golf Course on Friday.

Virk, who is eying for the first title of his career, finished with a cumulative score of four-under par 212 after 36 holes.

At the end of the third round, the Delhi lad was two strokes ahead of the experienced Johl who finished with a tormenting round of three-over par.

The highest money winner on the Hero Honda Indian Golf Tour this season Mukesh Kumar, playing with a stiff neck, submitted a card of one-under 71 to share the third position along with S S P Chowrasia and Vivek Bhandari.

Veteran Rohtas Singh occupied the sole sixth position while K P S Sekhon matched the day's best of two-under par 70 to trail Rohtas by a solitary stroke.

Trailing by two stokes from the leader, Virk made a confident beginning and made birdies on the third and ninth with a 15-footer on the latter.

The 23-year old began his return journey in a similar fashion with a birdie on the 10th.

Scores (after 54 holes): 212 - Jaiveer Virk (75 67 70), 214 - Amandeep Johl (69 70 75), 216 - Mukesh Kumar (71 74 71), S S P Chowrasia (70 75 71), Vivek Bhandari (71 74 71), 219 - Rohtas Singh (69 76 74), 220 - K P S Sekhon (75 75 70), Nabin Mondal (75 72 73), Rahil Gangjee (73 71 76), 221 - Suleman Ali (73 75 73), R S Gotra (73 74 74), Amritinder Singh (73 71 77).