Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond continued his fairy tale run in his CIMB Classic debut. The 21-year-old continued to show no signs of nerve as he pit himself against some of the world’s best players at the Malaysian showpiece.

 

After rounds of 70, 69 and 66, Jazz will head into the final round in tied-seventh place, 10 shots back of Perez.

 

 

 

Perez’s eight-under 64 with nine birdies and one bogey on par-4 13th saw him swell his lead from one to four over Xander Schauffele (67), while Korean Sung-hoon Kang (65) stayed third.

 

India's Lahiri came close to his career-best 62 at the TPC Kuala Lumpur in 2015 when he had won the Maybank Malaysian Open, before adding the Hero Indian Open title during a highly successful three-week period.

 

Young gun Schauffele kept in touch with two birdies in his last three holes to post a second consecutive 67, with South Korea’s Kang Sung a stroke further behind on 16-under.

 

Japanese talent Hideki Matsuyama soared up the leaderboard with a 63 to be six behind Perez, on 15-under with American Keegan Bradley.

 

The world number three Matsuyama caught fire from the fourth, birdie-ing five consecutive holes before finishing with a run of three birdies from the 16th.

 

Did you know?

• Lahiri posted his best round this week. It was also his first bogey-free round after 54 holes. He is currently in sixth place and trails Perez by nine shots.
• He missed only one green today while totaling 28 putts, his lowest so far this week.
• Lahiri tied for his second best 54-hole score at the CIMB Classic. He was also 12-under through 54 holes in 2015. Last year he was 19-under and led the tournament by four shots. He eventually finished in tied third place.
• His round of 64 is his best score at the CIMB Classic. He bettered last year’s effort of 65 which he also posted in the third round. However his personal best at TPC Kuala Lumpur is a 62 which he shot in the third round of the 2015 Malaysian Open. He went on to win the tournament.
• Lahiri’s best finish on the PGA Tour to date is a tied second place result at the Memorial Tournament earlier this year.
• Jazz is making his second PGA Tour start. He played at the DEAN & DELUCA Invitational in May where he missed the cut.
• He is currently tied in seventh place, 10 shots back from the leader Perez.
• This is his first appearance at the CIMB Classic. His score of 66 is his best so far this week.
• Jazz Janewattananond lost his Asian Tour card at the start of the year but earned his maiden breakthrough at the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open in February.