Kaneko extends lead to five at Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters

Kota Kaneko produced another masterclass on Saturday by firing a flawless seven-under-par 63 to go five shots clear as he chases his second JGTO title at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters. 

After taking a slender one-shot lead at the halfway stage, the 23-year-old returned to the starting tee in the morning, bursting out of the blocks with five birdies for an outward 30 at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course.

He birdied the 10^th and 18^th holes to sign for a three-day total of 15-under-par 195. The trio of Lee Sang-hee,  Mikumu Horikawa and Satoshi Kodaira continued to remain in a share of second place after returning with matching 67s.

Kaneko credited his success to a combination of solid iron play and reliable putting throughout the day. 

“My irons and putting were good all day,” said Kaneko. “My tee shots had a few uncertain moments, but they stayed in the fairway, and from there I could really go after it.”

The 23-year-old also highlighted the positive energy within his group as a factor in his performance. “The whole group had a really good flow today, so I could ride that momentum through the round,” he said.

Despite now holding a commanding lead, Kaneko emphasised the importance of focus heading into the final day. “I’ve never led by this much going into the last round, so I’m not sure how it’ll feel.”

“But I just need to take every shot carefully from the start, and I think the chance will be there,” said Kaneko.

Leading third round scores
195 – Kota Kaneko 67-65-63
133 – Lee Sang-hee (Kor) 65-68-67, Mikumu Horikawa 66-67-67, Satoshi Kodaira 66-67-67
201 – Ryosuke Kinoshita 68-67-66
202 – Ryunosuke Furukawa 69-71-62

*All Japanese unless indicated otherwise