Crowe’s play wasn’t what he liked that week, but a conversation with the 2013 Masters winner after missing the cut might have proved just the tonic for the New South Welshman who leads the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship with 18 holes to play.

“I was blushing a little bit. It felt like a bit of a fan for me, he was a really down to earth guy,” Crowe said of Scott. “Obviously I didn’t play very well last week. Had a chat to him afterward and he just kind of said ‘reset and get ready for AAC and go win it’.”

Three-times a winner already this year, including at the NSW Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the 21-year-old knows the tournament is far from over. However his play on Saturday was exactly as required in an event such as this. One he leads by two shots on 13-under, 36-hole leader Bo Jin and Korea’s Minhyuk Song his nearest pursuers.

Birdieing twice in the opening nine without a blemish to his scorecard, the St. Michael’s Golf Club member gained two more shots against par to open the back nine. Though Crowe has struggled with the next run of holes throughout the week, and was proud of how he came through unscathed on Saturday.

RIGHT: Crowe reacts to his putt coming up just short on the 18th green on Saturday. PHOTO: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

“The last couple of days I have been kind of bogey free up until 11 and 12 and then dropped a shot, then the tee shot on 14 hasn’t really been suiting me all week,” he said. “I just hit the shot that I wasn’t supposed to hit that I couldn’t hit. And I was lucky I found it and thought ‘just get it back in play and have a look’. But then to hole that putt was a really nice feeling.”

That putt after the pulled tee shot that was lucky to be found, was around 20 feet and kept Crowe’s momentum and confidence up, proved when he hit a booming drive at the par-5 15th that he failed to convert into a birdie.

Birdie did come at the island green 17th when he struck a near perfect 9-iron from 130 metres to tap-in range, before turning to face a shot he has been uncomfortable with all week.

“I kind of just said to myself on that tee that 17th hole for me is obviously a hell of a lot easier to hit than 18th tee shot. I think today was just pick a target and then just swing. Just really zone in on target,” he said of the drive that ended up in the middle of the fairway despite a one-handed follow through.

“Obviously I didn’t play very well last week. Had a chat to him (Adam Scott) afterward and he just kind of said ‘reset and get ready for AAC and go win it’.” - Harrison Crowe.

Controlling himself not to attack the back left pin, and instead somewhat bailing out right, Crowe nearly holed his birdie try, but was more than happy to sign for a bogey-free 67 and to clearly answer the question if a win on Sunday would change his plans to turn professional given The Masters and Open Championship spots on the line.

“Yes,” he said when asked of a potential change in plans.

Bo Jin is still lurking ahead of the final round, while TK Chantananuwat appears to be out of the running. PHOTO: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

A one word answer is a rarity for the chatty Crowe, who in a field of players speaking various languages and without many crowds has sought out different areas for entertainment between shots.

“Obviously not as quite as much chat in the group this week but my dad and his best bud are out here this week. I see him and have a quick chat, trying to have fun out there … Anytime I see some fresh faces I know I kind of have a chat.”

The chasing pack will hope Crowe struggles to find some conversation partners to break up the intensity of Sunday, but are close enough to put pressure on with their play on an Amata Spring layout that is playing tougher than the opening two rounds.

China’s Jin could only manage a one-under round to sit on 11-under alongside Song who recorded a 68. Jin’s compatriot Wenyi Ding a shot further back after a 67, so too Ryuta Suzuki of Japan.

The rest will have some serious ground to make up, and it appears the home town hero fairy tale win of Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat is off the cards after the 15-year-old Asian Tour winner signed for a 76 to sit eight back of Crowe’s lead.

Chantananuwat is in a share of 19th with the likes of Australian Amateur Champion Connor McKinney, while Jeffrey Guan and Karl Vilips are one shot better on six-under and Joshua Greer sits in seventh on seven-under.