John returned a 67, the joint-lowest round of the day, while Japan\u2019s Tomohiro Ishizaka is in third, another stroke back, following a 70.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Frenchman Julien Sale carded a 69 for fourth place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ham was unflappable again today, conducting a putting exhibition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After starting the day with a two-shot lead over Thailand\u2019s Jazz Janewattananond, he moved three ahead at the turn, before going four in front after a birdie on No. 10.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Korean was fortunate on the par-4 13th, one of the most difficult holes on the course, when his tee shot just stopped short of the water. He capitalized on it by hitting his second to 15 feet and holing for birdie. He followed that up with another birdie on the ensuing hole, a par 3, by holing a putt from a similar length before impressing again by saving par on the next thanks to draining an 8-footer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He parred in from there, making five birdies in total and two bogeys.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels great because my name is always on the top and the other players aren\u2019t overtaking me. I hope it stays that way tomorrow,\u201d said Ham.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no secret to my putting, really. The greens are just perfect. There isn\u2019t much I pay attention to when I\u2019m putting, but I just make sure I get it done quickly because of the heat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ham played in this event when it was last held on The Serapong in 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He finished in a tie for 43rd and is well and truly on track to better that tomorrow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He has only played in 24 Asian Tour events since turning professional eight years ago, with 16 of those on home soil.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy new goal is to not hit 90 tomorrow,\u201d joked Ham. \u201cI do want a spot in The Open, but in life, just because you want something it doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll get it. Life\u2019s like that \u2014 if I get the spot, great, but if not, then it\u2019s OK.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
John, second on the 2025\/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit behind countryman Travis Smyth, is making a rare appearance in the region. It\u2019s only his third event in Asia on the Asian Tour, but the 23-year-old is making the most of it despite struggling with a bout of flu recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI played well in Japan a few weeks ago, then had a week off at home. I wasn\u2019t feeling the best physically, but I got over that quite quickly,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI got sick after Japan, had the flu, and it knocked me around for about a week and a half. But I\u2019ve come good just in time, which is nice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a strong golf course, so it\u2019s about being patient. I probably don\u2019t usually play this type of course as patiently as I have this week. I\u2019d normally hit more drivers, but I\u2019m happy with how I\u2019ve managed my way around it so far.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sale is featuring on the leaderboard for the first time since winning the Philippine Open at the beginning of last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cYeah, I mean, obviously there\u2019s The Open spot in the back of the mind, so I\u2019ll see that at the end of the run tomorrow. But I\u2019m just gonna try to keep going, as I did the first three rounds. Didn\u2019t really have a score in mind. Just try to execute my process, stay hydrated and try to do the best I can. Try to beat the course. If you can beat the course, it\u2019s gonna be a good day tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
India\u2019s Gaganjeet Bhullar returned a 72 and is knocking on the door of a 12th win on the Asian Tour and first since the 2023 Indonesian Masters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He shares fifth with Pakistan\u2019s Ahmed Baig (67) and Jazz (73), the champion here in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n