Graniteville, South Carolina, United States: Joshua Bai has remained on track to become the first Asia-Pacific winner of the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.
The 18-year-old New Zealander fired a third-round five-under-par 67 at Sage Valley Golf Club to move two shots clear of American Jackson Byrd at the top of the leaderboard.
But for a late stumble which saw him run up a double-bogey six at the 17th, Bai’s advantage would have been ever more commanding.
That proved to be the only blemish on Bai’s card on a day when he snared seven birdies.
Heading into Saturday’s closing round, the teenager has a 54-hole total of 11-under 205. He is followed by Byrd (207) with Miles Russell, also of the US, a further two strokes back in third.
Bai, who was the 18-hole leader and 36-hole co-leader, has been close to victory on several occasions in the United States having finished third at Sage Valley last year and runner-up in the 2023 US Junior Amateur Championship.
On Saturday, the Aucklander, a two-time winning member of Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Bonallack Trophy teams, will be aiming to break his Stateside duck in the 14th edition of the championship whose past participants include Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Of the other Asia-Pacific players in the elite 36-player field, Bai’s Nomura Cup team-mate Robby Turnbull is tied for seventh on 213.
Le Khanh Hung is joint 20th on 220, one shot and two places ahead of fellow-Vietnamese Nguyen Anh Minh. Indian Kartik Singh is 23rd on 222, followed by Thai Thanawin Lee (tied 27th, 226) and Indonesian Rayhan Latief (tied 30th, 227).
In the girls’ division, there are three Asians in the top-five heading into the final round.
Thai Pimpisa Rubrong, the half-way leader, fell off the pace after a third-round 73 which relegated her to joint second place with American Scarlett Schremmer on four-under 208.
They trail Aphrodite Ding by four shots after the Canadian produced the best round of the week, a six-under 66.
China’s Liu Yujie is alone in fourth place on 213 following a 69 with Korean Oh Soo-min (70) two strokes further back in fifth. Oh was runner-up in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Vietnam a fortnight ago.
Australian Sarah Hammett is 19th in the 24-strong field on 230, one shot and one spot in front of Thai Achiraya Sriwong.
