Pickin conjured an excellent third-round 68 on the Open course today to join midway leader Hong at 12-under par and give himself the chance of a first victory as a professional.

But American star Tyler McCumber is at 11-under and only a shot back after a 67 today, and three players – Queenslander Cory Crawford, WA’s Braden Becker and South Australian Lachie Barker (67 today) are only a shot farther back at 10-under.

Queenslander Anthony Quayle, who has recovered from an astonishing seven-stroke penalty called on himself in round one to haul himself back into the tournament, is among those at 9-under and in sight of a victory for the ages.

Newcastle’s Pickin, 24, turned pro in May this year after an outstanding amateur career in which he represented NSW and Australia with distinction. But coming from the coast, he is no stranger to the fierce winds that whipped across the Mornington Peninsula late today and which are forecast to return on Sunday.

He has had three scores in the 60s and has coach Khan Pullen on the bag.

“I like playing in wind,” he said. “Playing in the wind and even the rain to a certain point keeps me present.”
His previous best finish is tied-fifth in the Webex Players Series SA earlier this season, and he is feeling a level of comfort midway through his first season.

“Playing a few events with all the guys has got me playing some good golf and getting me up on the leaderboards,” said Pickin. “I’ve been more motivated the last six months than I’ve ever been and I’m trying to work off the back of that.

“The biggest thing is to play a few of these events as an amateur the last few years, really having that experience and not being in foreign territory. I knew a few guys, I knew the sort of level of competition was at. When I did come out here this year, I was able to roll with a bit of momentum that I did have.”

Hong rolled in an eight-footer for birdie at the 18th today to shoot 71 and push himself into the last group for round four, so he will sleep on good memories.

“I spoke to my caddie, I said ‘I really want to be in the final group,’ he said afterward. “It was downhill left-to-righter, right in the middle.”

But the Sydney pro, who only reached the field through Monday qualifying, said he needed to work on his swing. “I hit it everywhere today. I probably hit six or seven greens today and I was able to shoot 1-under. My putting and chipping saved me today. I don’t want to be doing that tomorrow.”

McCumber’s 67 was impressive in what began as calm conditions but ended up in a 40 km/h mini-gale. The American, 33, will be returning to the PGA Tour in America next season but he has been through a tough period with surgery on both hips and his left shoulder.

“It’s been a long time off of golf,” he said. “I’ve had three major surgeries. I came over to get some ’reps’ and play some tournament rounds. The PGA Tour of Australasia was good enough to offer me some invitations to play and I’m grateful for that.”

With 14 players within three shots, it promises to be a cliffhanger tomorrow. As for Pickin, he knows he will be nervous, but he embraces it. “They’ll be there no matter what. But I’m pumped to be in the last group and happy to be on the first tee tomorrow.”

PHOTO: Jye Pickin plays himself into the final group with his 67 today.

But the Sydney professional is developing a love for the linsky Mornington Peninsula lay-outs, and he will sleep on the halfway lead at 11-under par after two superb rounds.

Hong, 26, shot a 5-under 66 today on the Legends course to go with his opening 66 on the Open course, and at 11-under he has opened up a lead of a shot from Queenslander Cory Crawford in the $250,000 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event.

If he wins it would be his first on the tour and it would give him playing rights that he craves. As it stands, he is hanging out in Sydney and waiting for tour school to come around next year.Hong has been exceptional in what have been unusually benign conditions at Moonah, with light winds.

He played his first 34 holes of the tournament without a single bogey – a streak only broken when he dropped a shot at the par-4 17th today on the Legends.

He made a long birdie putt on the sixth, and chipped in for another on the seventh, and it was all a far cry from his early chapters as a touring pro, struggling on the PGA Tour Americas and the Canadian Tour.

“I feel like my game’s improved a lot since last year, but no one would really know because I haven’t had the opportunity to play and perform,” said Hong. “I’ve finally got an opportunity this week and I’m taking it.”

After six years of college golf in America, Hong turned pro and won a stage of tour school on the Canadian Tour, but he has lost all his playing rights, a situation that would be rectified by a win at Moonah this week. “It’s pretty much ‘win or go home’,” he said.

It has been a steep learning curve for Hong. “You’re travelling so much and just learning to be a pro. It’s still something I’m trying to get used to. I’ve got a couple of years of experience, and I’m just trying to learn as fast as I can. I’ll probably be back here for a year or so and then see if I can get back to America.”

Queenslander Crawford is the closest at 10-under after his 67 on the Legends course today. WA’s Brayden Becker, who holed out for an eagle from 112 metres on the par-4 eighth hole of the Legends, is outright third at 9-under, a shot ahead of a group that includes first-round leader Corey Lamb (71 today on the Open course).

Lamb was disappointed to tread water with the course playing “the easiest I’ve seen it”, but embellished his round by holing a 30-footer for birdie at the last. “It wasn’t a great day,” he said. “Got away with a birdie at the last to shoot 1-under.”

A double bogey 6 at the par-4 14th hole did not help, after his approach plugged in the front bunker and compounded the trouble with a three-putt.

The tournament favourite David Micheluzzi is at 3-under through two rounds after an even-par 71 on the Legends today.

The Victorian Amateur Challenge for teams is led at 20-under by Deyen Lawson and Phil Bannister.

PHOTO: Jason Hong on his way to a 66 on the Legends course today. Image: Daniel Pockett

Lamb, 23, went head-to-head with Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert at Murray Downs a few weeks ago, with Herbert coming out on top. He finished equal runner-up, assumed a certain cult hero status, and the experience has been emboldening for him.

“I’ve taken a lot out of it. It’s definitely helping me play how I’m playing,” he said today after nailing seven birdies in a bogey-free round, and sprinting home through the back nine in 30 in perfect conditions for round one on the Mornington Peninsula.

The Hunter Valley product leads by a shot from a cluster of players at 6-under – Queenslanders Dylan Gardner and Cory Crawford, Victorian Connor McDade and New South Welshman Jason Hong and Western Australian Josh Greer, who all played the tougher Open course.

Tournament favourite David Micheluzzi opened with a 3-under 69 on the Open course and is well placed moving to the Legends on Friday. Another of the marquee group, Jack Buchanan, struggled to a 76.

But it was Lamb’s day. “It was weird, I hit it really close on probably the first seven holes and only holed two of the putts,” he said. “I got a bit cranky there, but then everything started going in.”

Moonah Links is familiar to him having graduated from Q School here a couple of years ago, and he knows that all players need to capitalize when they get their run at the slightly easier Legends course. Exactly as he did today. “I hit the ball so good, on any course today, I think I would have played really well.”

A former NSW and Queensland Amateur champion and an Australian All Schools champion, he has largely struggled to make an impact as a pro until this year, with his good result at Murray Downs and a T2 at the Webex Players Series SA.

Prior to this week he was seventh on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit; effectively he is fifth because Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert have not hit the required number of four tournaments played, and they are ahead of him. The top three at the end of the season in March will pick up DP World Tour playing rights, and it is on his radar.

“I haven’t played too good the first couple of seasons,” he said. “This year I’m finding out what works for me leading up. I’m looking at that (Order of Merit). That’s for sure.”

Lamb also leads the Victorian Amateur Challenge teams event with playing partner Andrew Colliver after they posted a net 58.

Micheluzzi was off the pace until he conjured a barnstorming finish, chipping in for birdie at 17 and then wedging up close for another birdie at 18. It is his 14^th tournament in the past 17 weeks, but he is hanging tough. “I should be more tired than I am but once it’s ‘clubs up’ I think I’m going to be done for a few weeks,” he said.

The player with the biggest regrets would have been WA’s Jordan Doull, whose opening even-par 71 on the Legends was remarkable. Doull was 9-under through 11 holes and in the mix for something sub-60. He then gave all those shots back in the last seven holes including a quadruple bogey at the par-4 15th hole.

PHOTO: Corey Lamb drives at 18 on his way to 64 at Moonah Links today. Image: Kirsty Wrice