Song Min-hyeok and Cho Min-kyu shared the third-round lead at the 45th GS Caltex Maekyung Open, which carries a purse of 1.3 billion KRW (approximately $975,000).Song carded six birdies and one bogey for a 5-under 66 in the third round on May 2 at Namseoul Country Club in Seongnam, South Korea (par 71). His 10-under total of 203 moved him up from a tie for fifth after the second round into a share of the lead.
Cho, one of Friday's co-leaders, made four birdies with no bogeys to hold his spot atop the leaderboard.
A former amateur national-team player, Song made his KPGA Tour debut in 2024 and is still seeking his first professional victory.
Song said, “I had plenty of chances to win in the first half of last year, but I lost the lead several times. I don't mind falling 50 times—if I get back up, I think I can win. If I play my golf and hold my nerve when it matters, good results will come.”
Cho, who has two wins on the Japan Golf Tour, is also chasing his first KPGA Tour victory. He finished runner-up at the Maekyung Open in 2011, 2020 and 2022.“A new opportunity has come. If I win, all the pieces will fall into place,” Cho said. “My son was born on Monday, and I want to dig deep as a father for him.”
Two-time Maekyung Open champion Lee Tae-hee (2019, 2020), who is chasing a record third title at this event, made one birdie and enters the final round three shots off the co-leaders in third place at 7-under 206.
Defending champion Moon Do-yeop joined Kim Min-gyu, who plays on LIV Golf, and Kim Min-jun in a tie for fourth at 6-under 207.
Kim Seong-hyun sits tied for seventh at 5-under 208. Wang Jeong-hun and Heo In-hwi are tied for 11th at 4-under 209, while Choi Chan—who claimed his first career win last week at the Woori Financial Championship—is tied for 17th at 3-under 210.
Park Sang-hyun and Ok Tae-hoon finished the third round tied for 23rd at 2-under 211.
