South African golfer Casey Jarvis leads the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP into the final round with a slim one-shot advantage after an impressive bogey-free round on the third day at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course.
Jarvis, who started the day three shots behind, closed the gap with a 64, registering four birdies on the front nine and two on the back, elevating him to 13 under.
Casey Jarvis: “It played pretty tricky. I don’t find very easy to get near these flags, so I played smart and managed my game around the course.”
“I’ve been putting well this week. I made a few a few good par putts. My goal at the start of the day was to go bogey-free.
I did it yesterday and again today, which doesn’t happen very often with me. I’m pleased about that.”
“It would mean the world (to win tomorrow). I’ve worked pretty hard for this. I’ll just go out tomorrow, stay patient and play every hole as it comes.”
Jarvis’s closest competitor is Germany’s Yannik Paul, who finished the day with a 68, keeping him just one shot behind the leader.
Yannik Paul: “I don’t really look at the leaderboard. I just try to focus on myself, try to focus on the process.”
“I used to be very outcome-oriented, and now I just try to take the process over the price.”
“We’ll see how tomorrow goes. It looks like it’s going to be the best day of the week. Looking forward to it.”
“It’s easy to make a couple birdies early. If you think about it you get ahead of yourself.”
“So I just try to focus on the breathing. And once I catch myself, I try to get back into the present. It’s been working so far.”
The local talents Ryosuke Kinoshita and Keita Nakajima, along with China’s Li Haotong, Swede Sebastian Söderberg, and Frenchman Tom Vaillant, sit two shots back at 11 under. Overall, 16 players are within three shots of the lead, setting up an exciting final round.
Despite his youth, Jarvis has had a consistent debut season on the DP World Tour.
He currently ranks within the top 50 on the Race to Dubai Rankings and has made 11 of 13 cuts this season.
Last year, he claimed the Euram Bank Open on the European Challenge Tour, but this is his first 54-hole lead in a DP World Tour event.
With the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP being part of the Asian Swing, the stakes are high.
The top finisher of the Asian Swing Rankings will win $200,000 and gain entry to the Back Nine events, while the leading DP World Tour member will secure a spot in the Genesis Scottish Open.
Moreover, the top three in the Asian Swing Rankings will also earn an exemption into the U.S. PGA Championship.
As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on Jarvis to see if he can maintain his lead and claim his first DP World Tour victory.
With such a tight leaderboard, the outcome remains uncertain, ensuring an exhilarating conclusion to the championship.
