Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Displaying a maturity belying his tender years, Japanese teenager Taisei Nagasaki left his rivals trailing in his wake with a masterful third-round performance at the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).

One shot off the pace in fourth place overnight, the baby-faced 16-year-old fired a blistering seven-under-par 65 at the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course – the low round of the week to date.

With a 54-hole total of 17-under 199, he heads into Sunday’s final round with a five-stroke lead from compatriot Rintaro Nakano in second place with Thai Fifa Laopakdee a further shot back in third.

Also still harbouring hopes of contending for the top prize here and places in next year’s Masters Tournament and Open Championship are Vietnam’s Le Khanh Hung and the Australian duo of Billy Dowling and Harry Takis. They share fourth place on 206.

A national squad member who represented Japan in the World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy in Singapore a fortnight ago, Nagasaki was in inspired form today, following his two previous rounds of 67 with an even more accomplished display.

There were four birdies in an outward 31 followed by further gains at 13, 15, 16 and 17. The only blemish on his card was a bogey at the par-four 12th.

In his post-round interviews, Nagasaki was just as composed as he had been on the course.

“The good thing today was that I was able to get four birdies on the front nine. I didn’t play the 12th hole well, but got one back at the next par-five, which led to three consecutive birdies. I was thinking that I need to be in a good position today to play well tomorrow and win. So I’m happy with my score today.

“I didn’t expect to have such a big lead, but I’m not really thinking about that … just concentrating on my own game,” said Nagasaki, whose 17-under total is three shots better than the previous low three-round score in the AAC.

Nagasaki earned co-medallist honours at the Toyota Junior World Cup in June and finished runner-up a week later at the Japan Amateur Championship. He is a student of Tommy Nakajima’s Academy in Japan and Nagasaki noted that the two of them made a promise to ‘go to the Masters together.’ Nakajima won 48 times on the Japan Golf Tour and finished top 10 in all four Majors during his career.

Prior to this year’s championship, Nagasaki made it clear the accomplishments of his countrymen at past Asia-Pacific Amateurs were an inspiration going into the week.

“Keita Nakajima won in Dubai [in 2021], so I want to follow in his footsteps,” said Nagasaki, who also referenced the Asia-Pacific Amateur as the event he most wanted to participate in after joining the Japan National Team. “I will do my best to show my full potential and aim to win while having fun.”

As well as bidding to become the second youngest winner of the AAC after China’s Guan Tianlang who was 14 when he triumphed at Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand in 2012, Nagasaki is seeking to become the fourth Japanese champion of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, joining Hideki Matsuyama (2010, 2011), Takumi Kanaya (2018) and Nakajima (2021).

If Nagasaki was the player of the day, the shot of the day belonged to fellow-Japanese Kanichiro Katano who had the distinction of making the first hole-in-one of the week, lifting him into a tie for eighth on 208.

Using an eight-iron into the wind, Katano aced the 11th from 159 yards. “I hit it well and it felt good,” said Katano, who was born and brought up in Japan but moved to New Zealand 18 months ago.

Less fortunate were Khanh Hung and Takis, joint second-round leaders with Nakano.

Both endured difficult moments on day three, Takis taking an eight at the fifth where he lost two balls off the tee and Khanh Hung scarring his card with three sixes on the back nine.

The 17-year-old Vietnamese said: “I just tired out there a little bit. I hit some shots that I didn't want to. I probably could have been smarter with some shots but it's a good experience for me.”

Leading Scores

199 – Taisei Nagasaki (Japan) 67-67-65

204 – Rintaro Nakano (Japan) 67-66-71

205 – Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand) 66-69-70

206 – Billy Dowling (Australia) 66-72-68; Harry Takis (Australia) 67-66-73; Le Khanh Hung (Vietnam) 66-67-73

207 – An Seong-hyeon (Korea) 69-69-69

208 – Kanichiro Katano (Japan) 72-68-68; Chang Xihuan (China) 69-70-69

209 – Anshul Mishra (India) 72-69-68; Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chanatananuwat (Thailand) 70-70-69