John wrote his name into the WA PGA record books on Saturday by setting a new course record at Kalgoorlie Golf Course of nine-under 63, surpassing the eight-under mark previously set by Min Woo Lee (2015), Callan O’Reilly (2016), Chris Thorn (2016) and Michael Long (2018).

The Victorian’s stunning round elevated him into a share of 11th with one round to play, seven shots back of 54-hole leader Jarryd Felton.

It is a steep mountain to climb with just 18 holes remaining but one that the 23-year-old is refusing to shy away from.

“I’m just looking forward to being somewhere amongst it,” said John, who will play alongside New South Welshman Lucas Higgins in the sixth-to-last group on Sunday.

“I like playing when I’m close. I would have liked to have had a better start (to the tournament) but you’ve just got to hit good shots and see what happens.

“I’m not leading but another crazy day like that and you never know.”

Red numbers were as abundant as the red, rocky landscape that hugs the greenery at Kalgoorlie on Saturday.

An outward nine of seven-under 29 by the Northern Territory’s Jake Hughes sent a shockwave through the tournament on Saturday morning, Hughes reaching nine-under with further birdies at two and six.

The previous record of 64 was at his mercy until bogeys at seven and nine saw Hughes post seven-under 65.

Which is where John stepped in.

Like Hughes, John began his third round from the 10th tee, making the turn in four-under 32 with birdies at 11, 13, 16 and 17.

He parred the par-4 first before putting his round on a record-breaking trajectory with an eagle at the par-5 second and birdie at par-4 third.

He reached eight-under with a birdie at the par-5 sixth and then put the bit between the teeth when the TV cameras departed as he made his way up the par-4 ninth.

“I knew Jake was playing good – the boys said he was nine-under with a few to go,” said John, who along with Dimi Papadatos shot 10-under 62 at the Vic PGA at Moonah Links in February 2021.

“I saw the cameras there and they left me. I had 75 in and hit it to half a foot. I thought it was in the hole for sure.”

That near miss wasn’t the only shot John felt he left on-course on Saturday.

He left a 15-foot eagle putt at the par-5 11th short in the jaws and thought his tee shot at the par-3 13th might yield a brand new Subaru, the weekend reward for a hole-in-one.

“I thought I was getting a new Subaru. It ended up four feet short, straight in the middle,” he added.

“It landed directly in line and I was like, I wouldn’t mind a new car. It got close.”

Despite starting the tournament with rounds of 74-72, John revealed that it was a dinner with 36-hole co-leader Matias Sanchez on Friday that served as something of an eerie premonition.

“I was with Matias who was leading and he said, ‘You’re going to go out and shoot eight tomorrow.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m going to shoot 10’,” John added.

“I was looking for it all week and then this morning I was hitting it exactly where I wanted to, I had this move that I like to feel and just went with it and pretty much hit it on the flag all day.”