Sean Ramos put himself in prime position for a career-defining finish on the Asian Tour, carding a gutsy 68 on Saturday to vault into joint 14th after three rounds of the Jakarta International Championship in Indonesia.
The young Filipino shotmaker showcased both composure and firepower at the Damai Indah Golf PIK course, briefly breaking into the Top 10 following a brilliant four-birdie run through his first 11 holes. Despite stumbling with bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14, Ramos still managed a respectable 33-35 for a three-round total of 203 – just four shots behind the joint leaders heading into the final round.
Sharing the lead at 199 are seasoned campaigners Scott Vincent, Wade Ormsby and Gaganjeet Bhullar, who delivered rounds of 62, 67 and 69, respectively, to set up a dramatic finish in the $2-million International Series event.
But with Ramos within striking distance of the leaders and just one solid round away from shaking up the leaderboard, hopes are high for a breakthrough Top 10 or even Top 5 result – his best on the Asian Tour so far. His current career-best showing is a tied-22nd finish at the International Series Morocco earlier in the season.
Ramos struck eight fairways and 15 greens in regulation but needed 30 putts, including two scrambling pars, to complete his round on the par-70 layout. A more efficient day on the greens in the final round could easily vault him up the standings.
Ramos’ ability to maintain pace with the region’s top players signals a maturity and competitive edge beyond his years. If he can hold his nerve under final-round pressure – a test that separates contenders from champions – Ramos could well cement himself as a rising star on the Asian Tour.
In contrast, Miguel Tabuena and Justin Quiban struggled to find momentum.
Tabuena, who opened with an impressive 65, followed up with two consecutive rounds of 71 to fall to joint 51st at 207. Quiban faded further after a 74, slipping to a tie for 73rd at 212.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s front-runners are gearing up for a gripping finale. Vincent dazzled with a bogey-free 62, fueled by eight birdies, including back-to-back birdie streaks from Nos. 1 and 12, while hitting nine fairways and 15 greens in regulation. He needed just 25 putts to complete his round.
Ormsby matched Vincent’s putting efficiency with 25 putts of his own, compiling five birdies against two bogeys for a 67, while Bhullar remained firmly in contention with a three-birdie, one double bogey round, finishing with a 36-33.
Chasing just a stroke back at 200 are Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (64) and Poom Saksansin (66), with Stefano Mazzoli, Steve Lewton and Pavit Tangkamolprasert all tied at 201.