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Jeev Milkha Singh slipped one place to tied fifth but the Indian golfer along with compatriots Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shiv Kapur did well to hang on in yet another hard day in the heat and humidity of the hilly and challenging Macau Golf and Country Club in Macau.
On the third day of the $ 750,000 Macau Open, Jeev grinded it out in hot conditions to shoot a one-under 70 and move to seven-under 206, five shots behind the leader Chan Yih-Shin of Chinese Taipei.
Bhullar (68) and Kapur (69) also made a smart upward move on the leaderboard.
Despite back-to-back bogeys on 11th and 12th, Bhullar moved up from overnight 25th to tied 12th at five-under 208, while Kapur had five birdies and three bogeys to come to four-under and tied 17th place, up from 25th.
Overnight leader Chan (68) kept his nose ahead of Joonas Granberg (68) by one shot, and Rikard Karlberg (68) stayed in third spot even as Mo Joong-kyung (65) playing with a blister on his left toe, jumped up to join him in third.
Jeev recovered well from an indifferent start as he bogeyed the third and then the eighth.
"I told myself to stay focused and hang in. I got my first birdie on ninth and on the back nine there were two more birdies. On the 18th, I almost nailed an eagle, the ball stopping a couple of rolls short," said Jeev.
"Though many of the putts were still not dropping, I am happy that I am still in touch. Five shots is a good lead but not out of reach. A good start on final day can change things."
Gangjee placed 12th in Nationwide golf
Rahil Gangjee carded a fine second round of 68 to be placed at tied 12th at the midway stage of the Albertsons Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour in Idaho, USA.
Gangjee, who had earlier completed his first round at 67, is seven-under par and is placed seven behind leader Jonas Blixt of Sweden (62-66).
Gangjee started his second round with a bogey on first but birdies on second, third and ninth saw him turn in two-under. Birdies on tenth and 15th and a bogey on 14th meant he finished the day at 68.
Earlier, in the first round Gangjee birdied three times in first seven holes after starting from tenth and turned in three-under. He had two more birdies before he dropped a closing bogey on ninth to finish at 67.
Meanwhile, Daniel Chopra missed the cut with rounds of 69 and 72.
Blixt birdied his final five holes on Friday afternoon and moved to the top of the leaderboard. He added a 5-under 66 to his opening round of 62 and stands at 14-under par, two shots in front of 2008 champion Chris Tidland (65-65).