Asian Tour

Turk Pettit is in the process of putting together far and away the best tournament of his short professional career after shooting an incredible bogey-free 10-under-par 62 to take the third-round lead at the St Andrews Bay Championship.

Eight birdies and an eagle left him one short of the course record — set by Scotland’s Ewan Ferguson last year — but gave him a one-shot lead, on 17-under, over Australian Matt Jones, who fired a 66.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (65), Mito Pereira from Chile (67) and South African Jaco Ahlers (68) are next best placed, two back from Pettit, on a day of remarkably low scoring, that saw 10 eagles made, on the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

Overnight leader Davd Puig from Spain had a four-shot lead after eight, but thereafter the wheels unexpectedly came off. Poor tee shots on nine, 14 and 16 led to a triple-bogey and then two double-bogeys respectively. He fired a disappointing 73 and is on 13-under.

Pettit, 24, has only made three cuts in nine starts this season on the Asian Tour, with his best finish coming in the International Series Vietnam, where he tied for 34th, but he looks like turning the corner this week.

“Hit it in position and made a lot of putts, so it’s easy when you do that, but man, it was a great day, it’s what you work for,” said the American from Louisianna, who turned professional in 2021 after winning the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship.

He has tasted victory twice since turning professional in the Birck Boilermaker Classic, in just his third start in the Forme Tour in 2021, while a month ago he claimed the Colorado Open.

He added: “I’m finally starting to hit the ball a bit better. I’ve worked really hard on my putting as well, and today it paid off. So, I’ve been working hard, and you know, the Colorado Open was… It’s been about two years since I’ve won a golf tournament, so winning that Open was a big deal for me.”

Two-time Australian Open champion Jones recovered from a poor start, that saw him bogey the second and third, by making three birdies on the trot from sixth, and another three in a row from 10, then two more on 15 and 18.

“It was just really a couple of bad shots on the second and third hole,” he explained.

“After that I just gave myself plenty of birdie chances. I just say my pace has been off pretty much all week.”