Song tied for 8th with Koepka at the Japan Professional Golf Dunlop Phoenix 3R.

(Miyazaki, Japan – Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Song-ah = Song Young-han continued to compete in the upper ranks by returning to the top 10 on the third day of the ‘super-class tournament’ of the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (total prize money 200 million yen)

On the 18th, Song Young-han scored an even par 71 by swapping two birdies and two bogeys in the 3rd round of the tournament held at Phoenix Country Club (par 71, 8,110 yards) in Miyazaki, Japan.

Song Young-han, who was tied for 12th place in the 2nd round, recorded a three-day interim total of 4-under par 209, placing him in a tie for 8th place, 8 strokes behind the leader, Sugiwara Yuta (Japan, 12-under par 201).

Song Young-han, who won his second JGTO victory at Sansan KBC Augusta in August this year, and is running 4th in season prize money (85 million yen), 4th in average score (70.069), and 1st in green hit rate (74.797%), has increased the possibility of entering the top 10 for the ninth time this season, although he has moved a little further from the leader.

Despite the difficult conditions of temperatures in the low 50s and strong winds of around 22 mph, Song Young-han managed to hold his own in the challenging game.

After his second shot on the 2nd hole (par 4) landed in a bunker near the green, resulting in his first bogey, he rebounded with a birdie on the 5th hole (par 4). He also had a bogey on the first hole of the back nine, the 10th hole (par 4), but changed the flow again with a birdie on the 13th hole (par 4).

After finishing the 3rd round, Song Young-han said, “I played carefully because the wind can turn or change suddenly. It was a tough day, but I think I held up well without anything particularly bad.” He added, “I regret not being able to get a birdie on par 5.”

He also stated, “I think it’s important to keep the fairway tomorrow, so I’m going to focus on the tee shot. I’ll play with a relaxed mind, thinking positively about playing on the weekend on a course that’s been tough.”

Sugiwara, the only amateur player in this tournament, continued his surge by maintaining the top spot on the leaderboard for the second day in a row.

This tournament, which started in 1974 and has seen world-class players like Tiger Woods (2004, 2005) and Tom Watson (USA, 1980, 1997) participate and leave numerous winning records, has never had an amateur player reach the top spot.

49-year-old veteran Brad Kennedy (Australia), who played in the same group as Song Young-han, reduced his score by 4 strokes to jump to 2nd place (8-under par 205), while Nakajima Gaita (Japan), who is leading the money ranking with 3 wins in the JGTO this year, took 3rd place (7-under par 206).

Hideki Matsuyama, the poster boy of Japanese men’s golf who has a record of winning (2014) and runner-up (2012) in this tournament, rose to a tie for 4th place (5-under par 208).

Brooks Koepka, the winner of this tournament in 2016-2017 and this year’s PGA Championship, reduced his score by 4 strokes to jump to a tie for 8th place (4-under par 209) with Song Young-han, and this year’s US Open champion Wyndham Clark (USA) lost 3 strokes to tie for 44th place (2-over par 215).

Yang Ji-ho finished the 3rd round tied for 53rd place (5-over par 218).

songa@yna.co.kr