zuela’s 5-under 208 in Thursday’s third round brought its three-day total to minus-14 and was enough to take a one-shot lead over defending champion Australia (-13) in the TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup 2013 Supported by JAL in Toyota City, Aichi-Prefecture, Japan.
“We are happy about how we played today as the third day is always very important,” Venezuelan captain Victor Fookes said.
“Our team has been working together for five months and we hope that tomorrow we have a good day like we had today.”
Second round co-leader Mexico dropped to third at 11-under, two shots ahead of surging Chinese Taipei (-9).
Host Japan currently sits in fifth at minus-6, a single stroke ahead of South Africa and the United States (-5). Sweden (+3) and Germany (+4) check in at eighth and ninth respectively while Chile (+6), Korea (+7) and Costa Rica (+27) round out the field.
In the individual competition, Venezuela’s Jorge Garcia (-10) used his third-consecutive sub-70 round to take a two-stroke lead over Lucas Herbert of Australia (-8). Mexico’s Aaron Terrazas sits in third at 7-under, one shot ahead of Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Chinese Taipei’s Chieh-Po Lee (-6).
Australia’s Ryan Ruffels and Scott Scheffler of the United States are tied for sixth at minus-4 while four golfers – Japan’s Kazuki Higa, Marcus Kinhult of Sweden, Venezuela’s Gustavo Leon and Adam Wood of the United States – are tied for eighth at 3-under.
The final round of the TOYOTA Junior Golf World Cup 2013 Supported by JAL tees off Friday at 8AM.
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Venezuela 207-210-208 = 625 (-14)
2. Australia 209-205-212 = 626 (-13)
3. Mexico 208-206-214 = 628 (-11)
4. Chinese Taipei 212-210-208 = 630 (-9)
5. Japan 212-210-211 = 633 (-6)
T6. South Africa 211-205-218 = 634 (-5)
T6. United States 212-208-214 = 634 (-5)
8. Sweden 216-213-213 = 642 (+3)
9. Germany 211-214-218 = 643 (+4)
10. Chile 212-219-214 = 645 (+6)
11. Korea 218-217-211 = 646 (+7)
12. Costa Rica 223-223-220 = 666 (+27)
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (Australians after Round 3)
2. Lucas Herbert, Australia 71-66-68 = 205 (-8)
T6. Ryan Ruffels, Australia 67-70-72 = 209 (-4)
T18. Antonio Murdaca, Australia 71-69-74 = 214 (+1)
T26. Ricky Kato, Australia, 74-70-72 = 216 (+3)