Kennedy will begin Sunday’s final round two shots back of Satoshi Kodaira (67, 11-under) after posting one-under 69 on Saturday, three dropped shots around the turn denying him the chance to lead outright.

Two-under through his first five holes, the 48-year-old made bogey at the par-3 eighth and then a double bogey at the par-4 10th before closing with birdies at 11 and 17 to keep his hopes alive.

Battling a knee injury that required acupuncture treatment before the second round, Kennedy finds himself in the top three going into Sunday for the fourth time this year.

He has not been able to convert any of those into a fourth Japan Golf Tour title and knows he needs fortune on his side to end the season in style.

“I’ll need a bit of luck to carry me through,” said Kennedy, who finished third at the Mizuno Open, tied second at the ASO IIZUKA Challenge Golf Tournament and tied fifth at the Heiwa PGM Championship.

“I just hadn’t had the momentum to get me going during the weekend. It wasn’t that I’m playing badly or hitting bad shots.”

Scott Hend is in a tie for 24th after a wild third round of two-under 70 at the Indonesian Masters made up of 10 birdies, five bogeys, a triple bogey and two pars, Travis Smyth (T43) and Daniel Fox (T51) also qualifying for the weekend rounds.

Su Oh continues to lead the Aussie contingent at week one of the LPGA Q-Series in Alabama.

The Victorian is in a share of 17th through three rounds after a third round of 69 with Robyn Choi (69, T36) and Karis Davidson (72, T66) also inside the cut-line of the top 70 who advance to week two.