TRYALL, Hanover — Canadian Dustin Risdon will take a three-stroke lead into today’s third and final round of the 54th Jamaica Golf Association Open presented by Aqua Bay Resorts after he repeated his first-round four under par 68 yesterday for a two-round score of eight under 136 beneath cloudy skies at Tryall Club in Hanover.

After Monday’s brilliant sunshine, yesterday saw low clouds and strong winds adding to the already tough conditions of the Tryall course but the 40-year-old managed to widen his lead which was one stroke on Monday evening.

Three players are tied for second on five under 139 — Americans Kurtis Luedtke and Michael Maguire, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Benjamin Martin — with another American Derek Gillespie in fifth place on four under par 140.

Luedtke had the round of the day with a six under 66, while Maguire and Carson Roberts both shot five under par 67 scores.

Jamaica’s top professional going into tomorrow’s final day is Wesley Brown, who was tied for 17th on three over par 147 with Aaron Bailey tied for 24th on six over 150.

Brown’s round was highlighted with a brilliant eagle three on the par five sixth hole, he hit his approach shot into the sand to the left of the green but kept his nerves to chip the ball out of the sand and straight into the hole.

Defending champion William Knibb tightened his grip on the amateur competition after shooting even par 72 yesterday for a two under 142, followed by Justin Burrowes who is four over par 148 and Rocco Lopez in third spot on eight over par 152 after repeating his four over par 76 from Monday’s first day.

Risdon was confident of winning his first-ever title on Jamaican soil and told reporters after yesterday’s round, “It was good today, I got off to a good start and was four under through eight holes and then had a put for birdie on 10 that I missed, a three footer drove me nuts for a little bit”.

The Canadian had birdies at the third, sixth, seventh and eighth holes to play the front nine in four under par and was five under at the 11th hole before the double bogey on the par four 15th dropped him to three under before he birdied the final hole of the day.

Luedtke, who shot a one over par 73 on Monday, carded six birdies on the day but caught fire on the back nine which he played in five under to move up several paces in the standings.

Maguire also had five birdies on the back nine to put himself into contention for the top prize today.

— Paul Reid