Korea’s Hongtaek Kim held onto the lead for the third straight day but now shares it with Japan’s Shugo Imahira after a challenging third round at the International Series Japan. Kim carded a one-over-par 72 to remain at 10-under, while Imahira shot a 71 to join him at the top heading into the final round at Caledonian Golf Club just outside Tokyo.

Korea’s Yubin Jang is one stroke behind after a 71, keeping himself firmly in contention heading into the final day. Australia’s Travis Smyth and India’s Karandeep Kochhar sit two shots back, ensuring a tightly packed leaderboard with multiple players still in the hunt.

Windy conditions test contenders

Strong and swirling winds made scoring difficult throughout the day, particularly on the back nine where several players faltered. Kim struggled coming home with bogeys on holes 10, 12, and 14 but managed to stay in front despite the late setbacks.

“I played really well on the front nine, especially managing the wind, but the conditions changed on the back nine and I wasn’t able to adjust as well. That made things a bit more difficult.” “My game hasn’t really changed much since round one, I’ve been playing solidly throughout.”

“I just want to keep doing the same things, hitting fairways and staying consistent. There’s no need to change anything going into tomorrow.” “I was a bit unsure about how I would play this week. I’m just really pleased with how things have gone so far.”

Imahira also faced late challenges, dropping shots on 14 and 15 before finishing strong with a birdie on 18 to force a share of the lead. His late surge ensured he remained in prime position to contend for the title in front of his home crowd.

“The wind made it really tough today, it was swirling and we had some sudden gusts out there.” “I really wanted to finish at even, so it was nice to make that birdie at the end. I’m looking forward to going into tomorrow with the lead.”

Final round showdown looms

With multiple players within striking distance, the final round is shaping up to be a wide-open battle for the title. Jang, one of Korea’s rising stars, stayed patient despite early struggles and remains firmly in contention heading into Sunday.

“I missed a few putts early on, and the wind started to pick up, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to go really low. I just tried to stay patient and keep myself in the round. My shots weren’t at their best, but I was able to adjust towards the end, which helped me finish on a positive note.” “I’ve played with him [Kim] a few times, and he is a very strong player.”

“Hongtaek hits it long and is very consistent. But tomorrow is already the final day of the competition, so I’ll just focus on my own game and try to win.” Smyth, meanwhile, continues his strong run this season and remains a serious threat just two shots off the pace.

“I just have a lot of belief in what I’m doing at the moment. You know, coming into this tournament, I was pretty unprepared. Like I didn’t practice much at all in those two weeks off, and felt very rusty at the start of the week, and even the first two rounds.” “I don’t know, just taking it one shot at a time. I’m not really thinking too much about the result, and just, as cliche as it sounds, it’s literally just one shot at a time. And trying to sort of get my feel back, honestly, because it doesn’t feel like the same me as it did, like, sort of last month.”

With the title still undecided and several players in contention, the International Series Japan heads into a decisive final round. All eyes will be on the leaders as they battle for the championship in challenging conditions.