New Zealand golf No 1 Ben Campbell has shot a superb seven-under 65 in round three of the Australian Master of the Amateurs at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club to climb nine places into a share of second.
The 20-year-old had rounds of 73 and 75 to be in a share of 13th place but turned that around in spectacular fashion with the lowest round of the tournament to be only five shots behind leader Nathan Holman heading into today's final round.
Campbell has a good record in Australian amateur events _ he has finished runner up in the Australian Amateur the past two years _ and has a good chance of winning the prized title. He would be thef first New Zealand golfer crowned Master of Amateurs.
Campbell is comfortably the best-placed Kiwi in the field with the next best Vaughan McCall and Mathew Perry back in a share of 29th place.
Fox and An need a big finish to OneAsia qualifying
Auckland professional Ryan Fox and former Rotorua-based Jae An need strong finishes today in the final round of the final stage of qualifying in Malaysia to secure full rights to play on this year's OneAsia Tour.
The pair are tied for 35th on three-over par with the current qualifying mark for a full card on the OneAsia Tour at even par.
The 24-year-old Fox, who secured his PGA Tour of Australasia card last month, stayed in touch with a one-under par 70 in round three featuring three birdies and two bogeys.
Meantime An, who has been playing on the pay-for-play Gateway Tour in the US, also shot a one-under 70 to be within range of the qualifying mark.
The top 20 players from the final stage of four rounds of qualifying at the Sutera Harbour Golf Club will earn full rights to the lucrative OneAsia Tour.
Wellington professional Nick Gillespie is one shot further back on a four-over par total and, like Fox and An, needs a low round to join Kiwi players Michael Hendry, Gareth Paddison and Michael Long as regulars on the tour.
Brad Shilton, who began the week superbly with a two-under par 69 to be in a share of sixth, has since faded with back-to-back rounds of four-over 75 to be in a share of 52nd on six over.
Bradley climbs to fourth in Lake Macquarie
Waikato golfer Sarah Bradley has climbed to fourth after three rounds at the Lake Macquarie Women's Amateur Championship at the Belmont Golf Club in Melbourne.
The 24-year-old had a three-over par 76 to be 11 shots back from Australian Whitney Hillier, who leads the tournament by a comfortable nine shots.
New Zealand representative Emily Perry dropped from ninth to a share of 12th after an eight-over par 81. Larissa Eruera is tied for 20th and Chantelle Cassidy is in a share of 23rd.