Tyler Duncan carded a 2-under 68 in the third round to take a one-stroke lead at 7 under in The Panama Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. He heads into the final round one ahead of Mason Andersen, Cole Hammer and Ian Gilligan, all at 6 under. Adam Hadwin sits tied for fifth at 5 under in his first start of the 2026 season.
The Panama Championship, a key event on the Korn Ferry Tour schedule at Club de Golf de Panama, reached its third round on January 31, 2026, setting the stage for a tight finish. Tyler Duncan, seeking his first Korn Ferry Tour victory in his 97th start, posted rounds of 69, 66 and 68 to reach 7 under par. His third round included three birdies and one bogey, marking his lowest second-round score in 13 career appearances at the event. Duncan, who finished No. 63 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List after relegation from the PGA Tour, holds his third 54-hole lead or co-lead on the tour.
Chasing closely are three players tied for second at 6 under. Mason Andersen, a Class of 2024 Korn Ferry Tour graduate and winner of the 117 VISA Argentina Open presented by Macro, rebounded from a second-round 73 with a bogey-free 65, the only such round of the day and the sixth of the tournament. Cole Hammer recorded his career-best 66 at the event in his fourth start, while Ian Gilligan, No. 4 in the PGA Tour University Class of 2025, achieved his highest 54-hole position in his 15th career start.
PGA Tour winner Adam Hadwin, making his 2026 debut after earning Korn Ferry Tour status via a top-10 finish on the 2025 PGA Tour Americas Points List, shot 68 to join the T5 group at 5 under. He eyes a third Korn Ferry Tour title, having previously won the 2014 Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank and the 2014 Small Business Connection Championship at River Run. The $1,000,000 purse underscores the stakes, with top performances crucial for players like Hadwin aiming to regain full PGA Tour status.
Further back, Brett White and open qualifier Jackson Van Paris share T8 at 4 under, with Van Paris needing a top-10 to qualify for next week's Astara Golf Championship in Bogota.
