Takumi Kanaya
continued to put together one of his most impressive performances outside of
Japan today when he took the third-round lead in the US$2 million
International Series Oman at Al Mouj Golf. The Japanese star led at the start of the day by one shot from
compatriot Ryo Hisatsune and that is how it finished today after they both
returned five-under-par 67s. Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, such an
ever-present name on the leaderboard for the past year on the Asian Tour,
also shot 67 to sit in third place, three back from the leader. Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann from Chile moved ominously
into fourth, four off top spot, after rounds of 68 and 69 respectively. Kanaya showed why so much is expected of him today with an exceptional
round that showed he is comfortable leading from the front. Enjoying
calmer conditions compared with the strong winds of Friday, the 24 year old
moved to nine under for the tournament, helped by a brilliant run of four
birdies in five holes from the eighth. He made six birdies in total and just
one bogey. Surprisingly he missed a four-foot putt for birdie on 17 and another
makeable birdie putt on the last. “I feel good, it is because this course
really suits me,” said Kanaya. “I am able to play my shots, find the
fairways, and find the greens. Will just take it shot by shot tomorrow.” |
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The Japanese star, with the distinctive golf swing and quick follow
through, has won three times on the Japan Tour – the 2019 Mitsui Sumitomo
Visa Taiheiyo Masters, as an amateur, the 2020 Dunlop Phoenix and the Token
Homemate Cup in 2020 – but is looking for his maiden professional title
overseas. He was one of his country’s most successful amateurs having claimed
the 2015 Japan Amateur, the Asia Pacific Amateur in 2018, and the team gold
medal at the Asian Games that year. He was also ranked first on the World
Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. Hisatsune, who is looking for his first big Tour win, is four years
younger than Kanaya and looking forward to playing with his decorated
compatriot tomorrow. He said: “Yeah, I respect my older friend, we’re both
Japanese and I'm so happy to play with him. Yeah, so happy to get both
of us playing together and making a lot of birdies. Today was great, I
feel like I was smart in my game management.” Sadom was fourth in last week’s
season-opening PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment
Advisers and will no doubt be a threat tomorrow. “Today was pretty good
for me, I hit more fairways than the last two rounds,” said the Thai star,
whose last win on the Asian Tour was the Singapore Open at the beginning of
last year. “I missed only one fairway today
and I had many chances to make birdie. I played solid and my putting was also
good today. Today I think it was easier, because yesterday the wind was
strong and it was hard to hit the greens and today I think my putting was
much better than yesterday and that was the key.” Garcia bounced back well today
after yesterday’s 76 – which considering the windy conditions was more like
par for the course. “Obviously, today it was windy, but it wasn’t as windy as
yesterday,” said Garcia. “Yesterday a couple of holes
kind of killed my round really. Other than that, I felt good. I played nicely
today, gave myself a lot of chances. Made some really good putts, some went
in, and some lipped out but really happy. It was important to put a good
score out there today to have a chance tomorrow.” A six-time winner on the Asian
Tour, he is trying to win for the first time on the circuit since the 2018
Singapore Open. He added: “I
don’t know, we will see. It is going to depend a bit on the weather and
whether the wind picks up. We will see what the leaders finish tonight, it is
looking like I could be two or three shots behind, so it is definitely going
to take another good round. Hopefully I can shoot another good one and we
will see what happens.” Two-time Australian Open champion Matt Jones fired a 67 to finish on
three under to give himself an outside chance on Sunday. The Australian
is an expert playing in the wind and will hope for it to blow tomorrow. |
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**Image Caption: MUSCAT, OMAN; Takumi Kanaya of Japan pictured during Round Three
on Saturday February 11, 2023 at the US$2 million International Series Oman
at Al Mouj Golf, Muscat, Oman. The tournament is being held from February
9-12, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour. |
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