Hoath takes over lead at 54-hole mark of Avondale Amateur

There’s a new leader at the Avondale Amateur after 54 holes. Lewis Hoath charged over the past two rounds, and at 9 under, will take a two-shot lead into the final round at Avondale Golf Club in Pymble, Australia.

Hoath opened with 71, which left him five shots off the pace and several spots down the leaderboard. But with rounds of 66-67 since, Hoath was able to put himself in contention. The Australian ended last year with a T-8 at the Dunes Medal and was T-14 at the Keperra Bowl before that.

Hoath told Golf New South Wales writer Dave Tease that he hoped a good showing at the Avondale Amateur would earn him a spot on the Queensland State team. Hoath has already won the Greg Norman Junior Masters, and the Gary Player Invitational.

The next 10 names on the leaderboard are Australian, highlighted by first-and second-round leader Jye Pickin – also an Avondale GC local – in second. Pickin opened with back-to-back rounds of 66 but couldn’t keep the pace on Thursday and fell to 74. He is tied with Jordan Garner at 7 under.

Blake Windred, the highest-ranked Australian in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is T-4 at 6 under and Blake Collyer, winner of last month’s Dunes Medal, is another shot behind that in solo sixth.

The United Kingdom’s Callan Barrow and Bailey Gill are T-12 at 2 under. Canadian Joey Savoie, stroke-play medalist and a quarterfinalist at the New South Wales Men’s Amateur, is also at that number.