Queenstown, New Zealand, March 2: Read what players have to say following the penultimate round of the New Zealand Open on Saturday.

Zach Murray (Aus) – Third round 70 (-2), Total 198 (-17)

I gave Leuk the Duck a wee kiss on the last – it’s the Jarrod Lyle leukaemia duck – just for a wee bit of good luck. My caddy makes me kiss it every now and again, so a bit of humour.

That’s what you live for in golf, to hole those putts on the last. It gave me a few goosebumps. I wasn’t playing bad earlier on, I just wasn’t capitalising on my good shots.

Josh (Geary) will obviously have a few followers about and it will be really nice to play in front of his home crowd.

I’m thoroughly enjoying New Zealand at the moment, I think the crowds have been fantastic this week and super supportive of me.

Josh Geary (Nzl) – Third round 63 (-9), Total 199 (-16)

I didn’t do a lot different today. I hit a lot of good approach shots, a lot of close ones and gave myself some birdie putts. The short irons were definitely dialed in early on. With Zach being five shots ahead, you had to do something pretty special if he kept going the way he was. The field has caught up a bit which has given a few more players a chance.

The conditions were unbelievable, just perfect. The greens were running really, really fast but true. There were some good flags too so if you were in the wrong side it was tough but thankfully, I was in the right spots most of the day and made a good score.

I hadn’t driven the ball well today and my caddy said three-wood leaves a pretty short pitch but I said I did not mind giving it a go because the bunker shot was not too treacherous.  I made a good swing and it went exactly where I wanted it to go, six-feet right of the hole and just rolled it in. It was one of the ones you draw up and it was perfect.

We waited for half an hour for the tee shot on 17 and so to step up all of a sudden and make a good swing is difficult and I had gone cold. The second shot across the rock is quite tricky and I pulled it slightly into the other bunker but still had a chance of birdie but didn’t quite make it.

If it is like this again tomorrow there will be a lot of low scoring so you can’t be too defensive; make some more birdies and hopefully it is enough to go across the line.

It would mean the world being from New Zealand to win your home Open. Only a select few have done that and some pretty good Names at that. This is the event we grew up watching as kids. Even at the age of 13 or 14 I dreamed of playing in the Open so to win it would be unbelievable for sure.

Kodai Ichihara (Jpn) – Third round 67 (-5), Total 201 (-14)

I got off to a very good start today. Things got a little shaky after making the turn but I am glad that I could still make birdies after 13th hole, so it was a good day for me. The birdie on 14th was very important for me. I think I still have a chance to win tomorrow so I’ll never give up. And also I would like to have fun with my amateur partner if I can play with him tomorrow.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Third round 66 (-6), Total 205 (-10)

I thought it was going to be a hot round after starting with three birdies in my opening four holes. I was hoping to keep blasting birdies out there but I missed a couple of short putts. The hot form picked up again only on my last five holes.

I missed like five putts in-a-row, like makeable putts which didn’t go in, some lip-outs, some hit the hole, etc. I am just lucky I gained it back in time to put myself in a good position. If I hadn’t recovered with those birdies at the end, I wouldn’t have chance for top-10.

Now I can try for a good finish tomorrow. Nothing much different for me today. I will see if I can continue to put up a low round tomorrow. I am planning to do some sight-seeing before I go home on Monday. I am enjoying myself out there. I really like it here and I would love to come back here next year.

Photo credit: Photosport NZ