Golf: Alker fades in North Carolina

Kiwi golfer Steven Alker has shot a horror third round of 82 overnight to fall off the pace at the Chiquita Classic in Davidson, North Carolina. Photo / Getty Images.

Kiwi golfer Steven Alker has shot a horror third round of 82 overnight to fall off the pace at the Chiquita Classic in Davidson, North Carolina.

The Chiquita Classic is the second tournament in the four-leg Web.com Tour finals and the top 25 money-earners from the series - who haven't already qualified for next year's PGA Tour - will win their card for the big show.

Alker just missed his tour card during the Web.com Tour's regular season and needs a strong showing in the finals series but has struggled to get going.

He missed the cut in Fort Wayne last week and is now 63rd and eight-over for the tournament in North Carolina after his disastrous third round.

The 42-year-old opened the tournament with a pair of 71s to comfortably make the weekend but will need to make some serious inroads during his fourth round to push his way up the leaderboard.

Americans John Peterson and Andrew Svoboda are the joint leaders at the Chiquita Classic at 10-under the card.

Kiwi Tim Wilkinson, who has enjoyed a strong year on America's second-tier circuit, is in a share of 12th at six-under, while Danny Lee, who has already qualified for next season's PGA Tour, missed the cut after rounds of 72 and 76.

Meanwhile, in Japan, New Zealanders David Smail and Michael Hendry have begun their fourth and final round at the Fujisankei Classic.

Both players were in a share of 20th at two-under at midday today with Hendry one-under on his round through four holes, while Smail is even through three.

Hideki Matsuyama is the tournament's runaway leader at 11-under and a host of golfers are yet to get their final round underway.