Round 3 at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club gave players something of a respite from the fierce winds they were forced to contend with on days one and two yet the number at the top didn’t change.

As defending champion Tyler Hodge (65) and outstanding 17-year-old prospect Cooper Moore (64, pictured in main image) breathed life into their championship aspirations, even-par 70 kept Truslow at 3-under and three shots clear.

Without a win on a major tour anywhere in his decade-long career, the 30-year-old had five birdies and five bogeys on Saturday as a chaotic finish saw 13 players end Round 3 within five strokes of the lead.

Victorian Todd Sinnott (71) steadied with two closing birdies to start Round 4 at even par, 2023 champion Louis Dobbelaar (69), Aussie veteran Sam Brazel (69), American MJ Maguire (69) and Kiwi Kerry Mountcastle (71) in a tie for fifth at 1-over.

Consensus among players in the clubhouse was that a six-shot deficit was in no way insurmountable, Truslow aware that another even par round may not be enough to get it done on Sunday.

“I don’t know, it depends on the wind,” said Truslow, who was top 10 on the Asian Tour a fortnight ago.

“It looks pretty windy tomorrow, so it’s possible. But I don’t know. I think a bunch of guys that are in and around even could go low. We’ll see. I think 5-under will do it.

“Winning a tournament is very difficult. I’ve won a bunch on the mini tours, but I’ve never won a world-ranked event before, and that’s a huge goal of mine. So to be in a good position to do it is awesome.

“I definitely am embracing the nerves or dealing with playing in the final group.”

Even-par through 14 holes, Truslow’s stranglehold was unthreatened until a chaotic final hour saw dramatic leaderboard fluctuations.

A wicked horseshoe from two feet led to a bogey on 15 and when Truslow missed the green on his way to another bogey on 16 to drop to 1-under, last start winner Declan O’Donovan had a share of the lead.

RIGHT: Austen Truslow. PHOTO: Australian Golf Media.

It would be brief, however, the Webex Players Series Sydney champion enduring a horror finish to drop to a tie for 18th.

The NZ Strokeplay champion at Paraparaumu Beach in 2018, Kerry Mountcastle was undone by an unfortunate break when his tee shot on 15 finished in a divot and then also made bogey on 16.

A birdie-birdie finish would steady Truslow’s ship, his nearest threats coming from a long way back on Saturday as Moore and Hodge went from riding the cut-line on Friday to playing in the final group on Sunday.

Hodge can join an illustrious list of back-to-back winners that includes Kel Nagle, Bob Charles, Frank Nobilo and Michael Hendry while Moore can join Kazuma Kobori (2019) as the second 17-year-old amateur to win in championship history.

At a career crossroads when he won at Hastings Golf Club 12 months ago, Hodge admitted to feeling the nerves as the defending champion on Thursday but is now right in the mix to make it two on the trot.

“I was pretty nervous the first couple of holes, to be fair,” said Hodge, who was 3-over through seven holes in Round 1. “Being defending champ holds a bit of weight and I knew that.

 

“Obviously I had a bit of ground to make up for sure and needed a really good one today.

“The course was playing fantastic, so if you do put yourself in the right spots and roll the ball well, which I did a lot better today than the last two days, then you can hole some putts.

“I think it just comes down to putting, to be honest. The greens are slick. There’s a lot of big runoffs, so if you do miss it in the wrong spot, you’re in a bit of trouble.

“If you just plot your way around, you’ll have a chance. Just got to get the putter hot.”

Moore, the reigning Australian junior champion, is in his final year of high school and doesn’t turn 18 until June and delivered a stunning front nine in Round 3.

He birdied both three and five – two of the hardest four holes each week – and then holed a 50-degree wedge from 68 metres to make eagle at the par-4 eighth.

It signalled the start of a dramatic turnaround for a young man just hoping to make the cut at 6-over through two rounds.

“Holes one to five is probably the hardest stretch on the golf course and to walk through there at 2-under, I was very happy,” said Moore, who holed putts from 18 and 25 feet respectively for his birdies at three and five.

“I didn’t think six (under) was out there after the last two days, but no, I’m really happy with it.”

The final round of the Quinovic NZ PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports from 11:30am-4:30pm AEDT Sunday.