Patrick Reed said earlier this week that he had come to win the Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Open, and not treat it as a warm-up, and he spectacularly backed that claim up by shooting an 11-under-par 59 to take the third-round lead.
Five birdies in a row started it and four on the trot finished it as the American, who plays on the LIV Golf circuit, leapt into the lead on 18-under.
Indian Rashid Khan and Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand share second place, three behind the leader. Khan shot a 63 and Nitithorn a 66.
Defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand, the leader at the start of the day, is one shot back following a 68.
It is only the second 59 recorded on the Asian Tour – the caveat being that preferred lies were played so it does not stand officially.
The only other 59 was registered back in May when American John Catlin recorded the magic number at the International Series Macau. Remarkably, Reed played with Catlin on that day, and it was also in the third round.
Reed sealed the deal with a confident 15-foot birdie putt on the par-four 18th at Hong Kong Golf Club.
“It was of one those days,” said Reed, who is attempting to win for the first time in four years and claim his maiden Asian Tour title. “I got up, I felt a little tight, and had probably one of the worst warm-ups ever.
“I looked at my caddy, and he goes, hey, a warm-up is a warm-up, let’s go out and just play golf. He goes, some of your best rounds have come from a poor warm-up.”
Reed also made birdies on seven and 13 and was bogey free. He has only dropped two shots in three rounds.
Added the 2018 Masters champion: “I stepped up on that first tee and hit a great drive, and then from that point on, just quality iron shots, leaving myself a lot of really good looks, and was able to make a lot of putts.”
Reed has been a regular visitor to Hong Kong over the past 10 years and came close to winning in 2015 when he tied for third behind winner Justin Rose
Khan, who made five birdies on the back nine, two on the front and was also bogey free, is in a battle to keep his Asian Tour card, in 90th place on the Order of Merit. He needs a big finish tomorrow to take the pressure off.
Australian Wade Ormsby, winner of this event in 2017 and 2020, has a chance of adding a third title after carding a 64 to sit six off top spot with one round to go.
For all the scores from the Link Hong Kong Open, click here.