Takahiro Hataji is 18 holes away from winning his third JGTO title this season as he heads into the final round of the ACN Championship Golf Tournament with a two-shot advantage over Tomohiro Ishizaka on Saturday.
Related: Hataji shares lead in weather-hit ACN Championship
The 31-year-old earned his breakthrough at the Kansai Open in May and followed up that win with another victory at the Vantelin Tokai Classic last week.
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After holding a share of the second round lead with Satoshi Kodaira, Hataji broke away to lead on his own with two birdies in his first three holes as the third round finally got underway on time. It was a relief as play had to be disrupted on multiple occasions for the first two days because of inclement weather at the Miki Golf Club.
Hataji dropped his only shot of the day on the par-four five but redeemed himself with four birdies on holes eight, nine, 12 and 13 to sign for a five-under-par 66 and three-day total of 17-under-par 196.
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“Right from that early morning putt on the third hole, I felt like my putting was in great shape today. It was a good start, and after sinking that long putt, I had a feeling that today would go well.
“I’m worried if I’ll have the mental energy to last (for the win). That’s a concern, but tomorrow, I’ll probably be paired with (Takeyasu) Toshiya-san. He’s funny and easygoing, so I think I can relax while playing. I’m looking forward to enjoying the round with him,” said Hataji.
Meanwhile, Ishizaka mounted a strong charge of his own as he stormed up 16 spots with a sensational 62 to stay on course for his maiden JGTO win.
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“My putts went in, and the only time my tee shot went into the rough was on the last hole. But I managed to hit those shots to spots where the caddie and I planned. So, overall I’m satisfied. I played with better conditions today than in the previous two rounds, with faster greens and irons rolling a bit more. I aimed to enjoy the round and stay positive.
“I’m happy with today’s round, but tomorrow will be a new day. Rather than focusing on extending my score, I’ll concentrate on each shot. Given the improved conditions, I think it will come down to a battle on the greens. My target is 20 under, and if I don’t win, I’ll still be content if I perform well,” said Ishizaka.
