Tatsunori Shogenji fired a flawless five-under-par 66 to stretch his overnight lead to three at the penultimate round of the season-opening Token Homemate Cup on Saturday.
Related: Shogenji takes charge with solid 64
Ren Yonezawa matched Shogenji’s third round efforts to take solo second place with his three-day total of 14-under-par 199, while the quartet of Tomoyo Ikemura, Taiki Yoshida, Taichiro Ideriha and Naoyuki Kataoka share third place on 201.
Shogenji extended his overnight advantage to two quickly with an opening birdie on the par four first. He picked up another shot on seven to turn in 33.
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After five straight pars, the 26-year-old reeled in three successive birdies on holes, 15, 16 and 17 to put himself in a commanding position of securing his maiden JGTO title.
“I felt like my overall rhythm was solid today. The birdies on 15, 16, and 17 were key highlights, and saving par from the bunker on nine really helped keep the round bogey-free.
“I missed a few fairways and left some birdie chances out there, but those were mostly small errors in judgment — like club selection or reading the wind. I’m pleased with where my game is at, and if I stay composed, I’m confident heading into the final rounds, regardless of the weather,” said Shogenji.
