James Leow puts Singapore into contention at Nomura Cup

James Leow fired a stunning six-under-par 66 in the third round of the Nomura Cup to propel Singapore into contention for their first Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship title.

The 25-year-old former Southeast Asian Games gold medallist made seven birdies en route to the best score of the day on the Masters Course at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club.

With Ryan Ang battling back from a double-bogey seven at the long eighth to sign for a 69, Singapore posted a day three total of 135 in the event in which the best two daily scores in each three-man team are counted.

That was the best team score of the day and helped them shrink Japan's lead by three shots.

Heading into Friday’s final round, Japan, led by Yuta Sugiura and Minato Oshima leads the way with a team aggregate of 19-under 413.

Singapore is second with a total score of 416. Korea (418) is five shots behind the leaders and and New Zealand (419) is also in the mix six shots back. It promises to be a thrilling final-day.

In the individual standings, Leow moved to the top of the leaderboard at 12-under par. Sugiura and Korean Jang Yubin are two shots back in second place.

A further stroke back in joint fourth are Oshima and Australian Jack Buchanan with New Zealander Kazuma Kobori on 209.

While Japan is bidding for an eighth Nomura Cup title and a first since 2015, Korea (2009) and New Zealand (1995) have won just once each. Singapore has not finished in the top two since the Nomura Cup was launched in 1963.

However, thanks to the heroics of Leow and Ang, Singapore led for much of Thursday and had a three shot clubhouse lead over Japen before they finished up their round.

But playing behind them, Korea, New Zealand and Japan all finished strongly.

Sugiura was 1 over for the day through 14 holes but made birdies on holes Nos. 15, 17 and 18 to card a 70. Oshima was 1-under par after 14 and also finished with a flourish, picking up shots on hole Nos. 15 and 17 for a 69.

With his only bogey of the day at 14, Jang dropped to 1 under, but he turned on the style with three birdies over the final four holes to post a second successive 68.

Kiwi Kobori endured a roller-coaster day with seven birdies offset by five bogeys. His front nine 34 had just one par.

TEAM SCORES

413 – Japan (138-136-139)
416 – Singapore (137-144-135)
418 – Korea (141-136-141)
419 – New Zealand (141-140-138)
427 – Thailand (139-152-136); Australia (135-150-142)
428 – Chinese Taipei (138-145-145)
429 – Malaysia (141-145-143)
435 – Philippines (141-151-143)
438 – Hong Kong (145-153-140)
440 – India (144-150-146)
442 – Indonesia (148-150-144)
462 – Guam (157-152-153)
474 – Pakistan (154-158-162)
508 – Mongolia (176-169-163)
517 – United Arab Emirates (169-170-178)