Keita Nakajima in action during the third round at Dubai Creek. 

By Kent Gray
World amateur No.1 Keita Nakajima and two-time champion Yuxin Lin have lived up to the pre-event hype by setting up a potentially thrilling finale to the 12th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (ACC).

Japan’s Nakajima leads by one from Lin after making one of the eye-catching moves on moving day at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, a four-under 67 taking him to -11.

Nakajima mixed five birdies with a bogey on the challenging par-3 8th but it was the par putt he sank on the Creek’s notorious 18th, after his tee shot found the water and threatened to derail an impressive third round, that stood out.

“I’m happy and feeling good. At the start of the round, I felt a bit nervous, but I birdied No. 3 and 4, and that gave me good momentum.  I’m excited and enjoying my golf, so I just hope I can play well and with confidence,” said Nakajima.     

With starts at the Masters at Augusta National, the 150th Open at St. Andrews and the 127th Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, Nakajima can be assured the nerves will return today.

Lin, 21, knows the pressure and the rewards after winning the 2017 title at Royal Wellington in New Zealand and the last of the pre-pandemic outbreak ACCs at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai in 2019.

Yuxin Lin.

The lefty started the third round four shots off the lead in a tie for 15th after a disappointing second round of 71. But a blistering start with birdies on his first three holes and a further four gains against a solitary bogey saw the Beijing lad sign for a six-under 65 to get to -10. Sam Choi and overnight leader Bo Jin are both well poised on -9.

Elsewhere, UAE No.1 Ahmad Skaik is now sitting on +4 for the tournament after a difficult six-over round, which included two double bogeys. The left-hander was left to rue some bad luck, which included a lost ball from just off the fairway on the 10th hole.

“I was actually playing decent but for those doubles. I made a few silly decisions after that. On eight it was a tough pin position and I still tried to go for it. I left myself a difficult stance in the back of the bunker and ended up with double when I should really have walked away with bogey at worst.

“And on 10 I hit a drive just left of fairway, but couldn’t find the ball, which was very unlucky, I think. It is not always going to go your way on the golf course.”

Ahmad Skaik.