On a day when success eluded most others at the Forest Hill Golf & Country Club, Yusuf Ali fired a round of three-under 67 to open a four-stroke lead over challengers Vijay Kumar and Shamim Khan.

Yusuf currently tallies five-under 207 after the penultimate round of the Rs 10-lakh Air Canada Fores Hill Golf Open, being played at the par-70, Forest Hill Golf & Country Club course.

Meanwhile Delhi's Shamim Khan shot a well planned-out two-under 68 to climb to tied-second position with overnight leader Vijay Kumar at one-under 211.

Mhow's Mukesh Kumar was placed fourth at three-over 215 after bringing in the day's best card of four-under 66.

In an effort to speed up play and avoid congestion on the golf course, the originally par-4 third and 12th holes are being played as par-3's. This has brought the par for the course down by two strokes to 70.

Yusuf started the day one stroke behind Vijay Kumar but started well playing his front-nine to two-under courtesy birdies on the second and fifth.

On his return journey, Yusuf birdied the 14th, and then erred on the 17th for a bogey. This was promptly rectified with a birdie finish to his round.

Vijay's round of two-over 72 included birdies on the fourth, fifth and ninth, bogeys on the seventh, eighth and 16th and an unfortunate double bogey on the 13th.

The leader-group remains unchanged otherwise. Shamim, who shot a 69 yesterday, started and ended his round with birdies with three more coming on the fifth, seventh and 16th.

The Delhi Golf Club pro dropped shots on the fourth, 12th and 13th.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh shot a fine three-over 73 and aided by a terrible round of 95 from overnight leader Ashpreet Thind, opened up a huge 22 stroke lead over the latter with a tally of 225. Thind's aggregate stands at 244.

SCORES (after 54 holes): 207_Yusuf Ali(70,70,67); 211_Sham im Khan(74,69,68), Vijay Kumar(68,71,72); 215_Mukesh Kumar (74,75,66); 217_Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(76,71,70); 218_ Jaiveer Virk(75,70,73); 219_Sanjay Kumar(74,71,74), Rahul Ganapathy(73,70,76); 220_C Muniyappa(73,78,69)

Amateurs: 225_Kuldeep Singh(78,74,73); 244_Ashpreet Thind(77,72,95).