Alex Maguire and John Ross Galbraith have a mountain to climb if they are to secure Asian Tour cards for 2026 although they will argue that mountains are there to be climbed.
Maguire has dropped back to one-under after a round of 73 which leaves him three shots off the top-35 which would secure a card but he is sitting perilously in 70th position which is the cut off for the final round after 72 holes on Saturday.
Galbraith meanwhile is back on five-over-par after a damaging round of 77 which has all but ended his hopes.
Unheralded Tomohiro Ishizaka from Japan is the surprise third-round leader at the Final Stage.
He shot a seven-under-par 64, for a tournament total of 12-under and a one-shot lead over India’s Shaurya Bhattacharya, who carded a 65, and Roberto Lebrija from Mexico, who came in with a 67.
Korean amateur Minchan Kim is another stroke behind, following a 68. Two layouts are being used this week, with all four leaders today playing the C&D course here at Lake View Resort & Golf Club, in the seaside resort town of Hua Hin, Thailand.
Overnight leader Shubham Jaglan from India, shot a 73 and is in a tie for 10th, five behind the leader. He doubled the 18th but is still well placed going into the final two rounds. The top-70 and ties make the 72-hole cut tomorrow with the leading 35 on Sunday securing their cards for the 2026 season on the Asian Tour.
Ishizaka qualified for this week by making it through a pre-qualifier last week. He finished fifth at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
He has only played in three Asian Tour events during his career, but looks set the change that next year, with two steady closing rounds required.
“I have been putting well since last week’s qualifier,” said the 26-year-old, who has played mainly on the Japan Golf Tour, with a best finish of second place in the 2020 Dunlop Phoenix.
He was bogey free today, with three birdies on the front, and four on the homeward half.
“I didn’t hit the ball well on the last hole, but apart from that it was great today,” he added.
Leave a comment