Overnight leader Tom McKibbin kept his hopes of a wire-to-wire victory alive at the Hong Kong Open but the Northern Irishman is being pushed all the way with the American duo of MJ Maguire and Peter Uihlein breathing down his neck at the top of a busy leaderboard.
A second successive 65 kept McKibbin in front on 20-under 190, after Maguire had roared into life with a nine-under 61 to move to 19-under. Two late bogeys from playing partner Uihlein (65) left the American a shot further behind on 18-under.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66), starting in the final group with McKibbin and Uihlein, is three behind in T4 alongside Australia’s Scott Hend (64).
LIV players Charles Howell III of America and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa are T6 on 16-under, following four-under rounds of 66.
McKibbin’s bogey-free run ended abruptly with a dropped shot on three, although he was back in credit after bouncing back with two straight birdies on four and five.
Three more birdies followed on six, nine and 12, before a second bogey on 15, but another two birdies on 16 and 17 got him back in front of Maguire after the American had roared into the race with seven birdies and an eagle in an impressive display.
That shot could prove crucial going into the final day with places on next year’s Open Championship and Masters at stake, as well as points on The International Series Rankings race.
“It was pretty good overall. I felt the course was playing a little tougher. The pins seemed harder but I played some very nice golf. I holed a few good putts, and everything felt solid.”
Choi holds big advantage
Korea’s Choi Hye-Jin takes a four-stroke advantage into the final round of the LPGA Maybank Championship after shooting a five-under-par 67 yesterday.
Choi, who played on the South Korea team in last week’s International Crown, had a 54-hole total of 19-under 197 on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country club course. She started the day with a five-stroke lead.
China’s Liu Yan (65) was in second place, four strokes behind Choi while Hannah Green, a member of the winning Australia team at the International Crown last weekend, was third after a 67, five off the pace.
Korea’s Kim A-Lim was the biggest mover with an eight-under 64 that left her in a three-way tie for fourth place with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and Japan’s Ayaka Furue on 13-under 203.
World No.1 Jeeno, a runner-up in Malaysia the last two years, birdied her last three holes for a 65 while Furue shot 67.
Breakthrough win for Xu
China’s Xu Ying captured her first professional title after winning the Fila Golf Women’s Classic while Thai star Nanthikarn Raksachat finished tied fourth in Beijing yesterday.
The 16-year-old Zhuhai native, who turned professional two weeks ago at the Women’s China Open, closed with a round of one-under 71 at Bayhood No.9 International Golf Club for a 54-hole score of three-under 213.
China’s Li Jieni finished runner-up after a 73, one stroke ahead of Huang Ching (71) of Taiwan. Tianjin teenager An Zining closed with 71 to finish low amateur, tied for equal fourth with Chinese pros Shi Yuli (67), Xue Zixuan (72), Sui Xiang (72) and Nanthikarn (74) at four shots back.