Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao [main picture, right] edged closer to an elusive first win on the Asian Tour today after taking the third-round lead in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

He fired a two-under-par 70 to lead on seven under for a one-shot advantage over compatriot Shen Wei-cheng, who returned the same score, and Gavin Green – the Malaysian who claimed this event in 2017 and shot a 71 today.

Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai is a stroke further back in solo fourth, following a 72, in one of Chinese-Taipei’s most revered tournaments, staged at Taiwan Golf & Country Club.

Overnight leader Chang Wei-lun from Chinese-Taipei suffered double bogeys on the eighth and 13^th and came in with a 74. He is three off the lead in a tie for fifth.

Hung, a prolific winner on the Taiwan PGA Tour, was paired in the final group with Chang and after a great start that saw him birdie the first two holes he later endured trouble of his own, making a bogey on six and a double on the 10^th. He steadied the ship with birdies on 14 and 15.

Hung Chien-yao.

“I was kind of upset [after the double on 10], but that was all right because I know number 10 is always a tough hole,” said Hung, whose wife Cindy is caddying for him.

“So, yeah, I’m okay with that. I mean, maybe not double, but I’m okay with a bogey. I should have just played smarter to make just a bogey.”

He finished third in the Yeangder TPC last week, making it 11 top five finishes in 13 seasons on the Asian Tour, with a best finish of second place in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last year.

The 34-year-old also won the Ambassador ADT Open on home soil in July – for his third win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

Remarkably, he has triumphed 15 times on local tour since 2013, including the three ADT victories.

He said: “Yeah, I am excited about tomorrow, I’m always excited. I mean, you know, finished number three last week, and playing pretty good on this course. I know a lot of crowds, a lot of spectators, are actually here for me, so I’m just gonna enjoy the round tomorrow and just try to hit a lot of good shots to show everybody.”

On another day filled with birdies and bogeys, Green’s scorecard was remarkably tame. He made two birdies and dropped one shot to put himself in position for his first Asian Tour victory since his success here nine years ago.

“Actually, I could have gotten pretty good, just missed a lot of putts early on,” he said. “You know, hitting it all right, hitting a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, just not making any putts. Just struggling with the putts and getting the lines, getting the speed obviously uphill into the grain, it just takes a big hit.”

Gavin Green.

He also claimed the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2017 before focusing on the DP World Tour but after a season heavily interrupted by tennis elbow he is revelling being back as the seen of what was arguably his biggest victory to date.

“Yeah, I’m excited. Like I said, I think what it is for me is I’m just trying to get that consistency. As long as I can just continue with that consistency, you know, whatever happens, happens,” he said.

“But all I know is I’m enjoying myself. You know, it’s fun, and it’s fun being here. For me, this is like home again. So, yeah, it’s good, it’s good to be back.”

Australian Jed Morgan (69), Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (69), Jeunghun Wang (70) from Korea, American Shotaro Ban (71) and Chinese-Taipei’s Hsieh Ting-wei (71), share fifth place with Chang.

Thailand’s Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat continued to enjoy a good week in just his second tournament as a professional. He returned a 71 and is in joint 19^th place, on one under.