Staff WriterJeongwoo Ham arrived at the Singapore Open as a name many outside Korea might have struggled to place without a polite glance at the entry list. Three rounds later, he is the man everyone at Sentosa Golf Club is chasing, and doing so in weather that makes a wet towel feel like formalwear.
The 31-year-old Korean signed for a three-under-par 68 on Saturday to reach 13-under for the tournament, keeping hold of the lead for the third straight day on The Serapong.
It was not loud, flashy or especially dramatic. It was far more dangerous than that. It was controlled.
Ham Keeps the Field at Arm’s Length
Ham will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, with Australia’s Cameron John his nearest pursuer after a fine 67, the joint-lowest round of the day.
Japan’s Tomohiro Ishizaka sits third, one shot further back after a 70, while Frenchman Julien Sale carded a 69 to move into fourth.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar remains close enough to cause discomfort after a 72, sharing fifth with Pakistan’s Ahmed Baig, who shot 67, and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the 2019 champion here, who posted a 73.
For Ham, though, this was another day spent doing what tournament leaders are supposed to do but so often fail to manage: look thoroughly unbothered.
“It feels great because my name is always on the top and the other players aren’t overtaking me. I hope it stays that way tomorrow,” said Ham.
A Putting Display in the Singapore Heat
Ham began the day two ahead of Jazz Janewattananond and turned that into a three-shot advantage by the turn. A birdie at the 10th stretched the lead to four, and from there he gave the impression of a man who had made a private arrangement with the greens.
His most telling passage came around the par-four 13th, one of The Serapong’s nastier little interrogations. Ham’s tee shot flirted with water, stopping just short of trouble. Some players would have exhaled, chopped on and fled. Ham did something altogether more inconvenient for the rest of the field.
He knocked his approach to 15 feet and holed the birdie putt.
Then came another birdie at the par-three 14th, from a similar range. At the next, he saved par with an eight-footer, the sort of putt that does not look much on a scorecard but can keep a round standing upright when the legs are beginning to wobble.
“There’s no secret to my putting, really. The greens are just perfect. There isn’t much I pay attention to when I’m putting, but I just make sure I get it done quickly because of the heat.”
There is something wonderfully blunt about that. No mystical green-reading ritual. No talk of process deep enough to require a map. Just good greens, good pace, and a sensible desire not to melt.
The Serapong Demands Patience
The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club is not a golf course that rewards impatience. It asks questions from the tee, fiddles with angles, and punishes greed with the quiet efficiency of a tax inspector.
That is why Ham’s position is so impressive. He has made five birdies and two bogeys on Saturday without ever appearing to get drawn into a brawl with the course.
He last played this event on The Serapong in 2022, finishing tied 43rd. This week, he looks like a different proposition altogether.
His Asian Tour record also makes the story more intriguing. Since turning professional eight years ago, Ham has played only 24 Asian Tour events, with 16 of those coming in Korea. Now, in one of the Asian Tour’s elevated International Series events, he is one round away from a career-shifting victory.
The Open Adds Another Layer
There is more than the Singapore Open trophy at stake.
This week’s tournament is part of The Open Qualifying Series, with the leading two players not otherwise exempt earning places in this summer’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
That gives Sunday’s final round a sharper edge. A win would be enormous. A ticket to The Open would be rather useful too.
Ham, however, is not leaning too heavily into destiny.
“My new goal is to not hit 90 tomorrow,” joked Ham. “I do want a spot in The Open, but in life, just because you want something it doesn’t mean you’ll get it. Life’s like that — if I get the spot, great, but if not, then it’s OK.”
That is either admirable perspective or the most relaxed piece of gamesmanship in the field. Possibly both.
Cameron John Leads the Chase
Cameron John is the nearest challenger, and his 67 keeps the final round from becoming a procession. The 23-year-old Australian is second on the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit behind countryman Travis Smyth, but this is only his third Asian Tour event in the region.
Not that he looks particularly overawed.
“I played well in Japan a few weeks ago, then had a week off at home. I wasn’t feeling the best physically, but I got over that quite quickly,” he said.
“I got sick after Japan, had the flu, and it knocked me around for about a week and a half. But I’ve come good just in time, which is nice.
“This is a strong golf course, so it’s about being patient. I probably don’t usually play this type of course as patiently as I have this week. I’d normally hit more drivers, but I’m happy with how I’ve managed my way around it so far.”
That patience will need to survive Sunday. Four shots is not an impossible gap, but on a course like The Serapong, the chaser has to attack without looking like he is attacking. It is golf’s version of running down a hill while pretending to browse.
Sale Stays in the Open Conversation
Julien Sale is also in the mix, appearing on an Asian Tour leaderboard with real significance for the first time since winning the Philippine Open at the start of last year.
The Frenchman’s 69 puts him fourth, and with Open Championship places available, his final round has plenty riding on it.
He said: “Yeah, I mean, obviously there’s The Open spot in the back of the mind, so I’ll see that at the end of the run tomorrow. But I’m just gonna try to keep going, as I did the first three rounds. Didn’t really have a score in mind. Just try to execute my process, stay hydrated and try to do the best I can. Try to beat the course. If you can beat the course, it’s gonna be a good day tomorrow.”
That line about hydration is not throwaway wisdom in Singapore. It is strategy. At Sentosa, the leaderboard is one battle. The climate is another.
What Sunday Means
For Ham, Sunday at the Singapore Open is a chance to turn a strong week into a statement. For John, it is an opportunity to announce himself beyond Australia. For Ishizaka, Sale, Bhullar, Baig and Jazz, it is about applying just enough pressure to see whether the leader’s calm finally cracks.
There is also the wider International Series context. These events now carry serious weight on the Asian Tour, offering enhanced prize funds, stronger fields and a potential pathway to the LIV Golf League. Perform here, and the world notices rather more quickly than it used to.
Ham has spent three days making the Singapore Open look almost simple. Of course, golf loves nothing more than punishing that sort of impression on a Sunday.
Still, if his putter remains as obedient as it has been and his nerve stays as cool as his humour, The Serapong may have to do something special to stop him.
