Tom McKibbin failed to build on a fast start and carded a one-over 71 to trail South Africa’s Casey Jarvis by seven shots heading into the final round of the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan.
McKibbin birdied the first three holes at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course to get to 10-under par but dropped shots at the fifth, sixth, 11th and 12th to slip to tied 30th on six-under.
Jarvis only went forward after starting the third round three shots off the lead.
The Challenge Tour graduate turned in 31 to hit the front and took advantage of some good breaks to pick up two more birdies en route to a bogey-free, six-under 64 and a two-shot lead over Germany’s Yannik Paul on 13-under.
Local duo Ryosuke Kinoshita and Keita Nakajima, China’s Li Haotong, Swede Sebastian Söderberg and Frenchman Tom Vaillant were tied for third on 11 under with 16 players within three shots of the lead.
“It would mean the world (to win tomorrow),” Jarvis said. “I’ve worked pretty hard for this. I’ll just go out tomorrow, stay patient and play every hole as it comes.”
On the Challenge Tour, Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell leads the Irish contingent heading into the final round of the UAE Challenge at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.
The Dubliner (26) carded a three-under 69 top share 13th on seven-under, leaving him five shots behind South Africa’s Wilco Nienaber, who has a two-shot lead over Swiss Benjamin Rusch and Englishmen Pavan Sagoo and David Horsey on 12-under.
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley bounced back from two opening bogeys by making five birdies, including four in a row from the seventh, in a 69 that left him tied for 24th on five-under.
Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy was a shot further back after he made three birdies and six bogeys in a 75 to slip to joint 29th.
On the Ladies European Tour, Belgium’s Manon De Roey made nine birdies in a six-under 66 to lead the Investec SA Women’s Open by three shots from Morocco’s Ines Laklalech on 14-under.
Royal County Down Ladies’ Olivia Mehaffey shot a two-over 74 to share 56th on five-over at Erinvale Country and Golf Estate.
On the Alps Tour, Laytown and Bettystown’s Alex Maguire (23) closed with a four-under 68 to finish a career-best second in the Tunisian Golf Open in his first season as a professional.
The former amateur star, who started the day five shots off the lead, made seven birdies at La Cigale Tabarka Golf to finish just one stroke behind winner Gianmaria Rean Trinchero of Italy, who shot 69, on nine-under.
Castle’s Robert Moran was joint 23rd on two-over after a 77.