Patrick Reed and Carlos Ortiz will start the final round of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn sharing the lead after the pair battled it out for top spot all day.
Reed, who has led since day one, shot a three-under-par 67, while Ortiz returned a 66 here at Macau Golf and Country Club.
They lead on 16-under by three from Germany’s Dominic Foos and American Jason Kokrak, who both returned 65s.
Australia’s Lucas Herbert is two strokes further back, in an event that will see the top three secure places in The Open Championship, held this year at Royal Portrush.
Reed had a comfortable four-shot lead after six holes before a three-shot swing on the eighth, where the American dropped a shot while Ortiz chipped in for an eagle two. That remained the gap at the turn before Ortiz drew level for the first time after making birdie on 10.
Reed regained the lead with a birdie on 13 before dropping a shot on the next, where he saw his first putt roll off the green, unable to stop due to the slick surface. Ortiz also made bogey there though, to stay one back. Reed later bogeyed the penultimate hole before they both made fours on the par-five 18th.
“It was kind of sloppy, I missed a lot of putts,” said Reed – the 2018 Masters champion.
“My three bogeys were two three-putts, and I putted a ball off the green on 14. Yeah, a couple of difficult pins out there I would say for sure, but everyone has to play them. And, you know, just gotta hit it closer, I guess, and hopefully make the putts.”
Reed, who plays for 4Aces GC on LIV Golf, appears to have worked out what it takes to play well in Asia, having won the Link Hong Kong Open last November for his maiden win on the Asian Tour and The International Series.
He will be attempting to win his 11th title on Sunday since turning professional in 2011.
He added: “Just plan to do same thing tomorrow. Just go out there and continue hitting quality golf shots, putting a good roll on it and just trusting the process.”
Like Reed, Ortiz is also chasing his second victory on the Asian Tour, having won last year’s International Series Oman.
The Mexican, who is on the Torque GC team, said: “Good overall. It was a good round. I put it in play most of the day. I honestly felt like I did a good job. It was not yesterday (Ortiz shot a second-round 61) but it was a decent run. Definitely need to shoot as low as possible tomorrow.”
Foos stormed through at the end, making five birdies in the last seven holes.
“Yeah, I started off pretty slow, made a couple of bogeys in the beginning,” said the German, who is a graduate from this year’s Qualifying School.
“But yeah, I've been playing really well, and I knew it was only a matter of time until some putts dropped, and yeah, lucky that happened on the back nine.
“It's playing very tricky. I think, like most of the putts, you just want to get it to the hole or around the hole, because so many times just past it, it's like straight downhill.”
Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent both carded 69s and are tied for sixth, six behind the frontrunners.
Nick Voke of New Zealand is a shot further back in a nine-man group on nine under after shooting a 64, the lowest round of the day.
Defending champion John Catlin from the United States shot a 68 and is in joint 38th position on four under.
The US$2million event is the second stop on The International Series – 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway on to the LIV Golf League.
The tournament is also part of the Open Qualifying Series.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
