Hong Kong’s representatives at the World Amateur Team Championships in France (from left): Alex Yang, Leon D’Souza, Martin Lui, Tim Tang, Taichi Kho. Photo: HKGA
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https://scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3191282/korn-ferry-tour-yuan-still-hunt-top-spot-charging-suh-drivers-seat Golf
Korn Ferry Tour: Yuan still in hunt for top spot, but charging Suh in driver’s seat
- Chinese golfer shoots third round 66 to move into a tie for 6th, but Justin Suh’s 64 puts him in the lead
- Yuan has to finish in a tie for second or better if he is end the season as No 1 in the rankings
Carl Yuan tees off at 18 during the third round of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Photo: Getty Images
Carl Yuan kept himself in the hunt to finish the season as No 1 after a strong finish to his third round at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
The Chinese golfer’s second six-under-par 66 of the tournament included three birdies over his last four holes at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana, moving him up to joint sixth and three back of leader Justin Suh.
A former world amateur No 1, Suh carded a superb 64 to hold a one-shot lead on 17-under over Tano Goya of Argentina. The American will become take the No 1 ranking if Yuan cannot finish in a three-way tie for second or better, and current points leader Paul Haley II is unable to finish in solo third or higher. Haley II carded a 71 and is in a tie for 58th.
Finishing as No 1 secures fully exempt status on the PGA Tour next season and also entry into The Players Championship and US Open.
Korea’s Seonghyeon Kim returned a 65 to share sixth place on 14-under while Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who started the day in a tie for second place, fell into a tie for 65th after a nightmarish 81.
“It was a hot start,” said Suh, who has already secured his PGA Tour card and entered the week ranked No 8. “I wasn’t making very long putts. It was just kind of 8-footers, 10-footers. We were hitting our numbers. It was, like I said, it was a very simple round, nothing got out of hand.”
Separately, in Paris, Hong Kong’s men finished the World Amateur Team Championships in a tie for 22nd out of 71 teams battling for the Eisenhower Trophy.
Italy won after a six-under 65 from teenager Marco Florioli, and a three-under 68 from Pietro Bovari on the final day lifted them to 31-under-par for the tournament, one shot better than Sweden and four ahead of the USA in third.
Taichi Kho finished the individual competition as Hong Kong’s top golfer, carding a one-under 70 in his final round to finish in a tie for 40th. Alex Yang finished on level-par after his closing 72 and Leon D’Souza’s 76 saw him end his week on seven-over.
The 2023 World Amateur Team Championships will be played at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, in October next year.