Matthew Cheung is two shots from becoming the first Hong Kong player to win his home Open. The 65th Link Hong Kong Open heads into Sunday’s final round with four golfers sharing the lead and the home hope right behind them.

American John Catlin, India’s Anirban Lahiri, Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and fellow American Caleb Surratt are tied at 14 under. Cheung and Finland’s Kalle Samooja share fifth place at 12 under at Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.

Matthew Cheung Hong Kong Open Bid Stays Alive

Cheung began Saturday’s third round in the lead but shot a 71 after making three bogeys. His only birdie came on the 17th, which kept him within two shots of the four leaders heading into the final round.

Cheung said: “100%, you know if you asked me at the start of the week if I would be happy to be within two of the lead heading into Sunday I would be ecstatic. Not the best day out there but I grinded it out there.”

Lahiri, who played alongside Cheung in the third round, said he understood the pressure of chasing a title in front of home fans, having chased Indian Open titles himself. He added that Cheung held on well despite not having his best.

No local player has won the tournament in its history. Dominique Boulet, a Hong Kong native and now an Asian Tour commentator, finished fourth in 1996, the best result by a Hong Kong golfer.

Hong Kong Open Leaderboard: Four Tied at 14 Under

Catlin, the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, shot a 65 with six birdies and one bogey. He saved par on the 18th hole of the Composite course by splashing out of a greenside bunker to two feet.

Pieters also shot a 65, while Lahiri carded a 66 and Surratt a 67. Lahiri, the 2015 Order of Merit winner, last won on the Asian Tour at that year’s Hero Indian Open.

Samooja’s 63 was the best score of Saturday’s third round. New Zealand’s Nick Voke fired a 64 to sit seventh, three shots off the lead, while South Africa’s Ian Snyman shot a 66 and is tied for 11th, five back.

The champion will earn invitations to The Open and the Masters Tournament next year, along with 787.5 Order of Merit points. The runner-up will collect 427.5 points.

Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert leads the Order of Merit with 1,359.52 points, 192.57 ahead of Australia’s Travis Smyth. The Thai star shot a 71 and is tied for 65th, with one event left in the race: the Philippine Open.