Jeju Island, South Korea, May 19 - Home favorite Kim Bi-o stayed on course for back-to-back OneAsia titles by shooting a five-under par 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the SK Telecom Open.
Remarkable as Bi-o's 13-under par total of 203 was around the tricky 7,361-yard (6,735-metre) Pinx Golf Club track, he was overshadowed by a blistering course record 63 from Hur In-hoi and a 66 by baby-faced 16-year-old amateur Kim Si-woo, who share second place with fellow Korean Joo Heung-choi.
Joint overnight leader Park Sang-hyun is a stroke further back after shooting a 70, while Indonesia's Rory Hie -- who also had a share of the lead at the start of the day -- shot a level 72 to remain at eight under in sole sixth place.
Bi-o, a two-time winner on OneAsia after victories in the Nanshan China Masters last year and again last week at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in Seoul, is currently in second place on the tour's Order of Merit.
He took grip on the tournament at the par five ninth when he put his second shot to within six feet and converted for the only eagle there of the day.
Three more birdies came on the back nine, but a pair of bogeys gave the rest of the field a glimmer of hope before he drained another birdie putt on the brutal 18th hole to increase his cushion.
Last year, at just 20, Bi-o was the youngest player to have his card on the U.S. PGA tour, but he already appears a veteran compared to Si-woo.
Already a two-time national team player, Si-woo's copper-bottomed short game couldn't be faulted until a three putt on the last blotted his scorecard.
"I was in that position once," laughed Bi-o when asked what advice he would have for the youngster heading into the final round.
Indeed, Bi-o lost his PGA tour card at the end of last year after a season he said he spent in awe of his surroundings and playing partners.
"He mustn't get carried away," said Bi-o. "It is a great learning opportunity for him, but I am sure he will do very well."
Si-woo, clearly nervous in front of the Korean TV cameras after his round, nevertheless talked a brave game.
"I want to be a professional one day, so it is better to learn sooner than later," he said.
The round of the day belonged to In-hoi, who bettered the course record 64 set last year by a stroke. He started his round with four birdies and an eagle in the first five holes to make the turn in 30, before a more modest 33 on the back nine.
The SK Telecom Open is the fourth stop on OneAsia's 2012 schedule and boasts a purse of one billion Korean won (around U.S. $900,000).
Leading scores after round 3 (par 72):
203 - KIM Bi-o (KOR) 68-68-67.
205 - HUR In-hoi (KOR) 71-71-63, JOO Heung-chol (KOR) 72-68-65, KIM Si-woo (KOR) 69-70-66.
206 - PARK Sang-hyun (KOR) 71-65-70.
208 - Rory HIE (INA) 70-66-72.
210 - LEE Sang-hee (KOR) 72-71-67, PARK Jun-Won (KOR) 70-70-70, Mark BROWN (NZL) 72-66-72.
211 - KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 72-72-67, Simon YATES (SCO) 71-70-70, Ashley HALL (AUS) 71-70-70, KIM Meen-Whee (KOR) 73-68-70, MO Joong-kyung (KOR) 72-67-72.
212 - LEE Tae-hee (KOR) 73-69-70.
213 - KJ CHOI (KOR) 73-71-69, Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) 75-67-71, Anthony BROWN (AUS) 73-68-72, Aaron TOWNSEND (AUS) 71-74-68, NAM Young-woo (KOR) 70-70-73, HU Mu (CHN) 70-69-74.
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