Ryo Katsumata will head into uncharted territory on Sunday as he takes a three-shot lead into the final round of the Panasonic Open Golf Championship.
The 29-year-old, still chasing his maiden victory on the JGTO, produced another assured display at Izumigaoka Country Club, firing seven birdies against a lone bogey for a six-under-par 65 and an 18-under total of 195.
Hot on his heels are seasoned campaigners Hiroshi Iwata and Naoyuki Kataoka, who both returned sparkling 64s to share second place and keep the pressure firmly on the leader.
For Katsumata, though, it was less about the birdie fireworks and more about his resilience when tested. He recalled how he avoided disaster on the second hole, where his ball plugged in the bunker.
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“The biggest thing today was on No. 2, when my ball plugged in the bunker. I managed to get it out and made bogey,” he said. “Yesterday too, I had a plugged lie and made bogey. I’ve made one bogey each day, but I think it was huge that I managed to hang in there in those situations where I really needed to.”
Katsumata admitted he had been haunted by memories of last year’s third round, when his title bid unraveled at the same tournament. Saturday, however, felt different.
“I think I managed to get my revenge for the third round last year,” he reflected. “This time I wasn’t really thinking about it. I was a little nervous, but I was able to focus.”
Now standing on the brink of a career-defining moment, Katsumata is embracing the unknown. Sunday will mark the first time he begins a final round in the lead, and while he holds a three-shot cushion, he refuses to see it as a safety net.
“This will be my first time starting the final round in the lead, so I don’t know what kind of nerves I’ll feel,” he admitted. “I have a three-shot lead, but to me that doesn’t feel like much at all. I’ll go into tomorrow thinking we’re all square. If I can keep hitting greens and putt with the same feel as today, I think I can keep building on my score.
