MANILA, Philippines — Hyun Ho Rho soared back to the top of the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters in dramatic fashion, delivering a stunning 68 in a roller-coaster third round in Pasay City on Friday.

　　Rho's resurgence, punctuated by a tap-in eagle on No. 18, saw him back in control at 210 in the fiercely contested third round of the P2 million championship where the lead frequently changed hands over the final nine holes at the Villamor Golf Club.

　　Halfway leader Ryan Monsalve looked poised to defend his lead, showcasing grit against a formidable field, including seasoned pro Angelo Que. However, a costly three-bogey stretch starting at the 14th hole derailed his momentum, igniting a chaotic scramble for supremacy.

　　Under the blazing sun, Rho emerged back as the frontrunner at six-under overall, thanks to a thrilling birdie-eagle finish. His one-stroke advantage over Que, who holed out with a birdie for a 70 and a 211, sets the stage for a nail-biting final round battle for the top P345,000 purse.

　　"My tee shots today (Friday) were really straight and I putted the ball quite well. I made a few bogeys on the back nine, but I managed to finish strong," said Rho, reflecting on his round. On the final hole, he hit a drive to the right, but luck was on his side as the ball struck a tree and bounced back into the middle of the fairway.

　　From 256 yards out, Rho executed a high draw with a 3-wood, landing the ball within two off the hole.

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　　展望最后的18洞和他对第一个冠军的追求，这位2022年PGT Q-School的冠军暗示了一个更保守的方法。“尽管我喜欢打得很有侵略性，但我只想享受这一刻。无论结果如何，我都会接受，但我会全力以赴，享受比赛。”19岁的他在周三以一杆进洞67杆登顶，但在第二轮只打出75杆。在8洞后打出与蒙萨尔夫不相上下的低于标准杆两杆的魁，在第9号和第11号的比赛中因失误而失去领先优势。但是他在最后6个洞(包括第18洞)中的2个洞都打出了小鸟球，保住了一张低于标准杆2杆的牌，只落后韩国人一杆。一开始落后蒙萨尔夫四杆的高合德(Lloyd Go)，在第三洞被一个柏忌击倒，但随后以5只小鸟的成绩迅速扳回一局，打出68杆，与铃木大弥(Daiya Suzuki)并列第三，成绩212杆，后者打出了当天最好的低于标准杆4杆的成绩。这可能是今年菲律宾高尔夫巡回赛最不可预测、最激动人心的高潮。

　　Go is gunning for a second championship after scoring a breakthrough in emphatic fashion at Palos Verdes last March. Pondering on the challenge ahead, he said: "The course is deceptively difficult. It's a constant balancing act and I find it hard to judge. I feel like I could shoot 8-under or 8-over. However, I've been steadily making progress."

　　Meanwhile, Suzuki, a Tour qualifier, is determined to leverage his putting skills to upstage his more favored rivals. He aims to build on his tied for 15th place finish at Apo last March and is keen on improving his game.

　　Despite faltering late in his round and finishing with a 73, Monsalve remains a serious contender at 213, just three strokes behind Rho. On a course as challenging as Villamor, this deficit is far from insurmountable.

　　Aidric Chan and Sean Ramos, both firing 70s, are hot on the leaders' heels at 214 at joint sixth, while amateur Jeffren Lumbo dazzled with a 68, securing solo eighth at 214. Meanwhile, Rupert Zaragosa rallied with a 69 to tie Tony Lascu?a, who slipped with a 73, at 216.

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　　With such a tightly packed leaderboard and the top contenders brace for a high-stakes high-noon showdown, the final round of the 72-hole championship, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and supported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf, promises a thrilling battle for the coveted title. TMT