TAIPEI: Liang Wen-chong of China carded a bogey-free four-under-par 68 in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Saturday, moving him up the ranks to lead going into the final round.

Liang ended the third round one shot ahead of Malaysia’s Danny Chia with a five-under-par 211 total at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club’s Tamsui course in Taipei.

Despite a solid round, the 36-year-old — who is playing in the tournament for the first time — has downplayed his chances of grabbing the title.

“I don’t want to think so much about tomorrow,” said Liang. “It’s hard to say because anything can happen.”

“This is a very special golf course,” he added. “The conditions can be different every day.”

Liang is the only golfer from China to have placed among the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), but has since slipped to 227th.

Chia, who is the highest ranked Malaysian on the OWGR, kept his place in second despite getting off to a rough start.

“It was a bit of a struggle for me out there,” said the 42-year-old, who carded four birdies against five bogeys.

Meanwhile, overnight leader Rashid Khan of India fell behind to finish in third but is not discouraged for Sunday’s final round.

“I am only two shots back so I think I still have a chance tomorrow,” said Khan, 24.

Cheng on top

In Hong Kong, Jin Cheng of China pitched to a half-foot on the par-5 18th and made birdie for a 1-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead over two Australians after three rounds of the typhoon-threatened Asia-Pacific Amateur on Saturday.

Jin, who led after the opening two rounds, had a 54-hole total of 11-under 199 at Clearwater Bay. Australian amateur champion Cameron Davis and countryman Ryan Ruffels, the highest-ranked amateur in the field at No. 8, were one behind after 67s.

Winds picked up late in the day, toppling a crane used for TV coverage, but there were no reports of injuries.

The weather forecast for Sunday was for storms and continuing high winds and the threat of a typhoon, forcing organizers to tell players in a statement that if the fourth round is not played, the 54-hole scores would determine the winner. Tee times for Sunday were in threesomes off two tees, with the last groups off at 8:30 a.m.

“We needed to make as much of a move as we could today, and if we get a chance tomorrow to play, then great,” Davis said.

Ruffels added: “Our coaches told us that conditions were going to be pretty average tomorrow. It would have been great to be sitting at the top after 54.”

Yu Chun-an (67) of Taiwan and South Korea’s Kim Tae-ho (69), were tied for fourth, three behind. Defending champion Antonio Murdaca of Australia, who won last year at Royal Melbourne, shot 64 to move into sixth place, four off the lead.