Byeong Hun An, who turned pro in 2011 after one year Cal and still is seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, got one step closer to realizing that ambition Saturday by climbing into a tie for third place at The Sentry tournament at Kapalua Resort in Maui.
An, 32, began the day tied for fifth in the PGA’s season-opening event, but made six birdies and just one bogey on the way to a 5-under 68. He is at 19 under through three rounds, just two strokes back of leader Chris Kirk.
Collin Morikawa, 26, slipped from a tie for fifth after Friday into a four-way tie for 10th. But he remains in contention, just four strokes off the pace after a 3-under round of 70.
Cal’s third alum in the 59-player field, 32-year-old Max Homa, moved up from a tie for 23rd place to a share of 17th after a 68 on Saturday. He is at minus-15 and six strokes off the lead.
Kirk, 38, shot 66 in the third round to move to the top of the leaderboard at 21 under par. Fellow American Akshay Bhatia is one stroke back and alone in second while Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth share third place with An at minus-19.
An made birdies on Nos. 1, 4, 5, 9, 13 and 18 against a lone bogey on the seventh hole to pull close to the lead. Ranked 60th in the world, the South Korean was promising as a teen-ager, the youngest player ever to win the U.S. Amateur at age 17 in 2009.
The son of parents who won table tennis medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, An turned pro in 2011 after one year at Cal. He has won twice in international pro events, most recently n 2015, but still awaits his first victory on the PGA circuit.
Morikawa played the first two rounds without a bogey then made one on the first hole Saturday morning. His scorecard never saw another one and birdies on Nos. 5, 13, 15 and 16 kept him in the hunt but weren’t enough to help him climb closer.
Homa, ranked No. 7 in the world, had a rough start to his third round, posting bogeys on the first and third holes. He responded with birdies on Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 15 to move into a six-way tie for 17th.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the second-round leader, shot a two-under 71 and slipped to a tie for sixth place at minus-18, three strokes back.
More must-reads: