Pavit Tangkamolprasert stands one shot from breaking a title drought that has lasted almost seven years. The Thai golfer fired a bogey-free 5-under 67 on Saturday to seize the outright lead heading into Sunday’s final round of the Yeangder TPC.

The 37-year-old has yet to drop a single shot through three rounds at Linkou International Golf & Country Club. His 19-under total puts him one stroke clear of defending champion Kazuki Higa, who matched his own 67 to keep the pressure on.

Pavit Chases First Asian Tour Win Since 2019

Pavit has not won on the Asian Tour since claiming the Sabah Masters at the end of 2019. He opened Saturday’s round with an eagle on the par-5 first hole, then added three more birdies to extend his flawless run.

“I’m quite surprised because I’m kind of like a birdie-bogey player, but this week I put the ball in a very good position,” Pavit said. He added that even his missed shots have avoided serious trouble all week.

A win Sunday would end years of frustration for the Thai veteran, who has two Asian Tour titles, including the 2016 Macau Open. He also holds a record eight Asian Development Tour titles, two of them in Chinese Taipei.

“I keep knocking on the door for maybe five or six years,” Pavit said of his title search across multiple tours. “If it’s my week, it’s my week, so I just have to stay calm tomorrow.”

Higa And Chasing Pack Loom Large In Final Round

Higa, the reigning Yeangder TPC champion, trimmed Pavit’s lead to one shot with a birdie on the 18th hole. The Japanese star was also bogey-free Saturday after stumbling briefly in the first two rounds.

“I made less mistakes today compared to yesterday,” Higa said, adding that reading the greens was his toughest challenge. He is aiming to become the first player to win the Yeangder TPC back-to-back.

Higa’s win last year put him on course to become the first Japanese player to top the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He is sponsored by Yeangder Group, which would relish seeing its own player defend the title.

Behind the leaders, Filipino Miguel Tabuena matched the week’s low round with a 62 to move into a share of third at 16-under. He closed with a bogey-free 7-under 29 on the back nine, capped by five straight birdies from the 12th.

“It’s always nice coming back, it’s my favourite tour by far,” said Tabuena, who has spent most of this season on the LIV Golf League. This week marked only his third Asian Tour start of the year.

Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, fresh off his International Series Morocco win in June, fired a 64 to join Tabuena in a share of third. American Peter Uihlein and Chinese Taipei’s Chien-yao Hung also sit within three shots.

A win Sunday would give Kho back-to-back titles and move him closer to a maiden Order of Merit crown. “Some of it’s in our control, but a lot of it is out of our control,” Kho said of his recent form.

Further back, Chinese Taipei’s Chieh-po Lee and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond sit two shots off the pace after rounds of 64 and 68. Australia’s Travis Smyth trails by three after a 66.

All of them will chase Pavit on Sunday, but the leader insists he is sticking to his script. Three days without a dropped shot suggest that plan works, and a fourth would finally deliver the win he has craved for years.