Takumi Kanaya is in sight of back-to-back victories after preserving a three-shot lead following the third round ASO Iizuka Challenged Golf Tournament on Saturday.
An eight-under-par 64 took Kanaya to 25-under-par 191, three shots ahead of Keita Nakajima, who continued to trail his former national team senior closely after firing a sublime 63 at the Aso Iizuka Golf Club in Fukuoka.
Related: No let-up in intensity for man-in-form Takumi Kanaya
The duo turned the contest into a two-horse race, with the quartet of Yosuke Tsukada (64), Kensei Hirata (65), Mikiya Akutsu (67) and Yujiro Ohori (67), who share third, are a whopping six shots adrift of Nakajima.
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Kanaya brilliantly converted a birdie-putt from about 18 feet at the last hole, his ninth for the day, to put him on the brink of following up last week’s BMW JGT Championship Mori Building Cup, his first in more than two years and fourth overall on Tour.
Despite holding a three-shot lead, Kanaya is taking nothing for granted and is relishing yet another final-day battle with Nakajima.
Kanaya and Nakajima, both who were former world number one amateurs, are set to play together in the leaders’ flight for the third successive week, a stretch that started from the Gateway to the Open Mizuno Open.
While Kanaya finished third at the Mizuno Open and won last week, Nakajima had to settle for runner-up in both.
“I was able to play my best again, but Nakajima-san was just as impressive. He got not only a lot of birdies but an eagle too! I think we both bring out the best in each other,” said Kanaya, after marking his scorecard with nine birdies and one bogey.
“I look forward to resuming our duel again tomorrow.
“We’ve been playing together since our amateur days, I know Keita-kun is an athlete with high aspirations and are many aspects of his actions and attitude that I respect.
“So it wasn’t a surprise that both of us tee off once more in the final group for the third week running. I’m excited for tomorrow as well.”
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Nakajima ensured he continue to pile the pressure on Kanaya by returning a bogey-free scorecard containing an angle on the par-five 12th and seven birdies.
“It’s not an easy task, but I think there’s certainly a chance to turn around the three-shot deficit. Of course, Kanaya-san is also human, and I think he feels some pressure. I want to play good golf and not give up until the end,” vowed Nakajima.
Juvic Pagunsan, the winner of the Partner Pro-Am Tournament last month, is the best-placed international player at the penultimate stage in tied-17th.
The 45-year-old shot an improved 67 to finish on 12-under-par 204, one ahead of South Korea’s Song Young-han, who carded 69 for tied-21st.
