Tomoharu Otsuki will be the man to catch after he fired a bogey-free six-under-par 66 to take the lead after the third round of the ANA Open at Sapporo Golf Club Wattsu Course on Saturday.
Related: Takumi Kanaya takes control with 65 at ANA Open
Overnight leader Takumi Kanaya slipped to second place after signing for a 69 to trail Otsuki by two shots, while Korea’s Song Yong-han (64) and Ryo Ishikawa (67) are tied for third.
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Starting the day just one shot back, Otsuki admitted he was thinking about grabbing the outright lead.
“No, not really. Since I was just one shot back after yesterday, my mindset was simply
to stay close. But as the round went on, I ended up being the one out front,” said the 35-year-old.
Weather could play a role in Sunday’s finale, with rain in the forecast.
“Yes, I think the fairways and overall conditions will soften compared to today, but if we can play, that’s the best outcome. I’ll just prepare properly and be ready.”
While he has struggled in the past when holding the lead, Otsuki is determined to keep things simple after compiling a three-day total of 16-under-par 200.
“Honestly, I don’t think I have the best track record in situations like this. But all I can do is focus on what I need to do, and let the results follow. I’ll just focus on what’s right in front of me.”
“I always feel nervous on the opening hole each day, but I don’t try to suppress it. I just accept it and play as usual,” added Otsuki.
Song, meanwhile, made his move with an impressive 64, though his round ended with a slight scare on the closing hole.
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“I thought there wasn’t much wind, so I took one club longer, but I caught it too well and it went too far. At least it didn’t hit anyone, so that was a relief,” he explained.
The Korean credited his turnaround to a return of confidence on the greens.
“I think my putting was good. Until yesterday, not many putts went in, and recently my putting hasn’t been in good shape. I felt that if I could make putts, things would go better. Today the putting was good, and that’s why I was able to make a good score.”
Song also revealed that a switch back to a trusted putter helped restore his feel.
“I tried a different one earlier this week, but it didn’t go well, so I changed back to my regular putter.” The 34-year-old, who has enjoyed past success at Sapporo, said he’s relishing the challenge this week.
“This year, especially, the course conditions are great and the greens are beautiful. I’ve had good experiences on this course before, so yes, I like it.”
Looking ahead to the final round, Song said he intends to embrace the moment.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in this good position, so I just want to enjoy the round with the players in my group tomorrow. I’ll try to do my best and hopefully enjoy myself all the way through 18 holes.”
