Korea’s Hongtaek Kim kept the lead for the third straight day after a see-saw contest over the closing stages here at the International Series Japan, that saw Shugo Imahira from Japan join him in front.

Kim, who started the round with a one-shot lead, fired a one-over-par 72 to sit on 10-under, with playing partner Imahira, in with a 71.

Korea’ s Yubin Jang is one back following a 71 at Caledonian Golf Club, outside Tokyo, with Australian Travis Smyth and Karandeep Kochhar from India, another stroke behind.

Smyth shot 68 while Kochhar a 73, in the first event of the season on The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League through The International Series Rankings.

Kim did well to hang on to the lead on a windy day after a back nine saw him make bogeys on 10, 12 and 14, while Imahira, Jang and Smyth all birdied 18.

Shugo Imahira.

Said Kim: “I played really well on the front nine, especially managing the wind, but the conditions changed on the back nine and I wasn’t able to adjust as well. That made things a bit more difficult.”

The 32-year-old is chasing his second win on the Asian Tour, having claimed the GS Caltex Maekyung Open on home soil two years ago, while success tomorrow would be his maiden title on The International Series.

“My game hasn’t really changed much since round one, I’ve been playing solidly throughout,” he added.

“I just want to keep doing the same things, hitting fairways and staying consistent. There’s no need to change anything going into tomorrow.”

He admitted to not having the greatest preparation coming into the week as his wife recently gave birth to their second child but added: “I was a bit unsure about how I would play this week. I’m just really pleased with how things have gone so far.”

Imahira had struggles of his own on the inward half, dropping shots on 14 and 15 before his closing birdie.

Yubin Jang.

He is attempting to become the first player from Japan to win this title, with Australian Lucas Herbert having won the inaugural edition last year.

Having won 10 times on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), including the Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup in 2022 – an event joint sanctioned with the Asian Tour – as well as back-to-back JGTO Money List titles from 2018, he’ll start as one of the favourites tomorrow.

“The wind made it really tough today, it was swirling and we had some sudden gusts out there,” he said.

“I really wanted to finish at even, so it was nice to make that birdie at the end. I’m looking forward to going into tomorrow with the lead.

“My family is coming out to support me, which I’m really excited about. Once the tournament starts, I don’t get much time for parenting, so I try to be a dad as much as I can during the off weeks.”

Many will be watching closely to see how Jang performs tomorrow. He will also be one of the favourites as one of Korea’s brightest prospects.

Having turned professional in 2023, after helping Korea win the gold medal in the team competition at the Asian Games, he went on to win twice on the Korean PGA Tour in 2024 before being selected to play on the LIV Golf League last year.

While he was unable to retain his playing rights on the League for this year he looks like a player who has bounced back from the experience even stronger.

Travis Smyth.

Said the 23-year-old: “I missed a few putts early on, and the wind started to pick up, so I knew it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to go really low. I just tried to stay patient and keep myself in the round. My shots weren’t at their best, but I was able to adjust towards the end, which helped me finish on a positive note.”

He will be paired with Kim tomorrow, a player he is familiar with, as well as Imahira.

“I’ve played with him [Kim] a few times, and he is a very strong player,” said Jang.

“Hongtaek hits it long and is very consistent. But tomorrow is already the final day of the competition, so I’ll just focus on my own game and try to win.”

The name of Smyth on the leaderboard once again this season will also have the leaders on alert.

Currently in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit following third and fifth placed finishes in the first two events he also wrapped up the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit last month.

Said the Australian: “I just have a lot of belief in what I’m doing at the moment. You know, coming into this tournament, I was pretty unprepared. Like I didn’t practice much at all in those two weeks off, and felt very rusty at the start of the week, and even the first two rounds.

“I don’t know, just taking it one shot at a time. I’m not really thinking too much about the result, and just, as cliche as it sounds, it’s literally just one shot at a time. And trying to sort of get my feel back, honestly, because it doesn’t feel like the same me as it did, like, sort of last month.”

Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.