Max Kennedy’s hopes of ending 2025 on a high at the Asian Tour’s season finale in Saudi Arabia appear to be over after a third straight two-under-par round of 70 saw him slip down to T41 entering the final round.
Playing on a tournament invitation, Kennedy has amassed just three bogeys over the first 54 holes, but he hasn’t been able to find the requisite birdies to find himself near the top of the leaderboard at Dirab Golf and Country Club in Riyadh.
Starting on the 10th hole in round three, he birdied the par-4 12th and par-5 18th, but dropped a shot on the 14th and turned at -1 for the day. Eight pars and a lone birdie – which came on the par-5 fourth – completed his day, leaving him on -6 overall and 12 shots off the lead.
That’s held by Australian Jack Thompson and Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren who fought an entertaining ding-dong battle for control of the lead before finishing the day tied at the top with one round to go.
Thompson, the leader by one from Hellgren at the start of the day shot a third-round four-under-par 68, while his Swedish playing partner carded a 67 – in what is the final event of the year on the Asian Tour.
They are 18-under for the US$1million event, two ahead of American Charles Porter from the United States in solo second, following a 65.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (67) and Ervin Chang (69) from Malaysia are another shot back sharing fourth.
Both leaders are hungry for their first win on the Asian Tour having been regulars the since Tour returned from the global pandemic.
“Didn’t score as well as hoped and did not take advantage of some of the holes coming in but can’t complain,” said Thompson.
“It’s great now, nice when you’re playing on a Sunday to win. It’s a privilege to do that, and obviously not everyone gets to do that. Just gonna go out and really enjoy it and try and finish a year off well.”
After Hellgren made birdie on the first, they were tied before the Swede pulled ahead with birdies on three and four. Thompson regained the lead with three birdies in four holes from the fifth before Hellgren drew level at the turn after chipping in for a birdie on nine. Thompson went ahead again with a birdie on 10 before it was tied again when Hellgren birdied the next. The Swede then handed the lead back with a bogey on the following hole before squaring again on 16. And that’s how it stayed until the end, setting up a great finale on Saturday.
“I know I’m going to get to the first tee tomorrow, and I’m going to be nervous and I’m going to be excited, I’m going to be all these things,” added the 28-year-old from Adelaide.
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