Shingo Katayama fired his second straight 66 on Saturday to widen his lead to six strokes going into the final round of the 200 million yen Dunlop Phoenix golf tournament.
Katayama, who had a four-shot lead after shooting 65-66, tied the day's low round with six birdies against one bogey on his way to a 16-under 197 total at the Phoenix Country Club in Miyazaki Prefecture.
Katayama sank a 17-foot par-saving putt on the 200-yard sixth hole before making three straight birdies from No. 7, boosting his chances of becoming only the third Japanese winner in the tournament's 27-year history.
"The par save on the sixth was the key. That gave my game a good rhythm, which helped me birdie the next three holes, although I was nervous throughout the day," Katayama said.