Go cracks Top 10 with solid 67 as Hung hangs tough in Taiwan Open

Lloyd Go

MANILA, Philippines — Lloyd Go sizzled with a bogey-free five-under 67 to barge into the Top 10, fueling hopes for a strong finish in the Taiwan Open still led by Hung Chien-yao after three rounds of the $400,000 Asian Tour event at the Taifong Golf Club on Saturday.

Go’s 54-hole total of seven-under 209, however, remained nine shots behind Hung, who cooled off with a 70 after back-to-back 65s. The Taiwanese ace posted a 16-under 200, allowing several contenders to inch closer and set up a final-round shootout – chief among them Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu.

Starting the day six strokes back, Wu charged with a superb 65 built on a 33-32 card that featured just about every number possible – a rare ace on No. 8, an eagle-3 on the par-5 18th, and five birdies. He mixed in one bogey and nine pars to reach 201.

Swede Charlie Lindh also fired a 67 for solo third at 205, still five shots off the pace.

Go continued to wrestle with his driver, hitting only six fairways and reaching 11 greens in regulation. But his putter kept him in the hunt as he needed just 24 putts – five of them for par-saves – to preserve a spotless round that vaulted him 16 spots up the leaderboard.

Sean Ramos, meanwhile, stumbled on Moving Day. Tied with Go at the halfway mark, he slid down the rankings after five bogeys in his first 11 holes. Although he finally picked up a birdie on the 17th, he closed with another bogey for a 77, tumbling from joint 23rd to a share of 51st at 219.