WOBURN’S Steve Lewton surrendered the lead in the third round, at the final stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School, on Saturday.
But the 36-year-old, who was runner-up to Rory McIlroy at the 2006 European Amateur Championship, is on course to take the same parth as Surrey’s Ben Taylor.
The Patchesham Park member is now on the PGA Tour after finishing in the top 25 on the 2019 Korn Ferry Order of Merit – and Lewton is fired up to play on the American PGA’s feeder tour.
Second-round leader Lewton dropped to tied second after an even-par 71 at Florida’s Orange County Golf Club, to leave Curtis Thompson – the older brother of LPGA star Lexi Thompson – as the overnight leader going into Sunday’s fourth round.
Other players tied for second, and who are just one stroke off the lead, include Mark Blakefield, Greyson Sigg, Nick Hardy and Taylor Dickson.
Thompson made a birdie to break out of the seven-way tie at the top of the leaderboard on 15-under.
Thompson, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Friday, entered the day one stroke behind Lewton, who has been playing on the Asian Tour since his one season on the European Tour in 2011.
Thompson carded a four-under 68 at Orange County National’s Crooked Cat course during the first round and followed it up with a nine-under 62 at the Panther Lake course.
Playing the Panther Lake course for the second day in a row on Saturday, Thompson countered four bogeys with six birdies for his two-under par 69.
On Sunday, Thompson will return to the Crooked Cat course with Lewton and the other contenders.
“My par-three play was great today,” said Thompson, who birdied his final two short holes.
“I know I made a bogey out there, but I birdied two of them. One of them was 208 to a left pin with the wind coming off of the left.
“That felt like a stroke or a stroke-and-a-half I gained on the field. And then birdieing three out of the last four to cap it off was really something.”
Thompson competed on the Korn Ferry Tour – when it was the Web.com Tour from 2015-18. Nicholas Thompson, the eldest brother to Curtis and Lexi, sits tied 58 after three rounds.
Players are competing for status on the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour.
The medalist and runner-up will secure fully exempt Korn Ferry Tour status, while the rest of the top 10 – and ties – will secure starts for the first 12 events of the 2020 regular season.
Finishers in 11th-40th place – and ties – earn entry into the first eight events in 2020.
•For live scores at the Korn Ferry Qualifying School click here.
