Gotemba, Japan: Home favourite Rintaro Nakano is in pole position heading into what promises to be a gruelling final-day in the 15th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Following the extensive weather delay on Friday, players returned to the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course first thing on Saturday morning to resume their second rounds.

Nakano finished the second round with a one-stroke lead at seven-under, ahead of Indonesian Randy Bintang, the first round leader, and China’s Ding Wenyi.

The 20-year-old Nakano extended his lead to two with a birdie at the third hole before the third round was suspended for the day at 5:05 pm due to darkness.

“It was great that I could be on top going to the third round today, but I could only finish five holes this afternoon so I think tomorrow will be a tough day,” predicted Nakano, who has a four-foot par putt left on the fifth hole and is expected to play 31 holes tomorrow.

Malaysian Rizq Adam Rohizam was the first to make a move towards the lead with a birdie at the second hole, while Cooper Moore of New Zealand picked up a shot at the third hole.

Rohizam and Ding sit two shots back of Nakano’s mark of eight-under, while Bintang, Moore, China’s Ziqin Zhou and Korean An Seong-hyeon are three shots back at five-under.

After following his opening 72 with a 65 – the best score of round two – An picked up two shots in his first seven holes of the third round with birdies at the second and fifth.

Asked how he felt being so close to the lead, Rohizam said: “I’m in contention?  I didn’t even know that. I was just playing golf. It’s surreal. It’s amazing. I never thought I would be in this position … so it’s a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity, I guess.”

The half-way cut fell at seven-over 147 with 24 players in red figures. Defending champion Jasper Stubbs was in joint 40th on 144.

Among the favoured players who made an early exit were China’s Chang Xihuan (148).

The disappointment of missing the cut was softened for Cambodian Rea HulI Im as he made a hole-in-one at the seventh.

“When I hit the shot I couldn't see where the ball went. My caddie told me maybe it was over the green in the bunker. When we walked up, our team-mates told us it was in the hole. I was very excited,” said the 39-year-old.

The third round will be completed early Sunday morning before the final round gets underway later in the morning.