David Perkins leads by one after Round 3 at Diners Club Peru Open

LIMA, Peru – David Perkins carded a 7-under 65 Saturday and leads by one at 17-under entering the final round of the PGA TOUR Americas Diners Club Peru Open. Joining Perkins in Sunday’s final group at Los Inkas Golf Club will be Hunter Wolcott and Taylor Funk, who trail by one and two strokes, respectively.

Perkins’ pedigree extends well beyond the 18 PGA TOUR-sanctioned starts on his record entering this week. In his second season as a professional, he captured his first pro win at the 2022 Illinois Open, and he has since added three victories on the Minor League Golf Tour. As an amateur, the Illinois State product was ranked as high as No. 32 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and he finished runner-up to current TOUR members Davis Thompson (2020 Jones Cup) and Mac Meissner (2020 Southern Amateur) in premier amateur events.

Perkins leads by two over Funk, whose pedigree is also much more than his PGA TOUR Americas record might suggest. The 29-year-old is the son of eight-time PGA TOUR winner Fred Funk, who is making his 1,000th TOUR-sanctioned start this week at the Insperity Invitational on PGA TOUR Champions. In his 56th TOUR-sanctioned start, Taylor is building on his performance at last week’s Kia Open, where he finished T13 and moved to 43rd in the Fortinet Cup.

Rounding out Sunday’s final threesome will be Wolcott, who sits just one stroke behind Perkins after a bogey-free 66 on Saturday.

Charting the leader

David Perkins (First/-17) 

• Three-time winner on the Minor League Golf Tour; in February, won a two-day event at Indian Spring Country Club in Boyton Beach, Florida, with an eagle on the first playoff hole
• First professional victory came at the 2022 Illinois Open, held at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, Illinois, just 140 miles from his hometown of Peoria, Illinois
• Growing up, attended the John Deere Classic with his father; received a sponsor exemption into the 2021 John Deere Classic on his 23rd birthday (June 15, 2021); went on to miss the cut (72-70) in his first TOUR-sanctioned start
• As an amateur, was ranked as high as 32nd in WAGR; finished runner-up at the 2020 Jones Cup behind champion Davis Thompson, and lost to Mac Meissner in a playoff at the 2020 Southern Amateur
• In five seasons at Illinois State (2016-21), posted 18 top-10s and one victory and was twice named Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Year
• Became a member of a PGA TOUR-sanctioned tour for the first time in 2024 when he finished runner-up to Jay Card III at the mid-season Q-School site in Dothan, Alabama
• Posted six top-20s, including three top-10s, and finished 28th in the 2024 Fortinet Cup to retain membership through the 2025 Latin America Swing

Competition notes 

Course setup: Par 72 / 6,882 yards; R3 average: 71.278

Weather: Mostly cloudy with a high of 73. Wind from the SW at 5 mph.

• Beau Breault carded a third-round 66 and is T4 at 13-under.
  • As a non-member, Monday qualified for the 70th ECP Brazil Open; went on to finish T4 and earned 108.75 points in the Fortinet Cup
  • Currently 23rd in the Fortinet Cup and will earn membership for the North America Swing if he becomes a tournament winner or is in the top 60 in the Fortinet Cup at the end of the Latin America Swing
• Marcus Byrd aced the 169-yard, par-3 13th hole with a 9-iron, his first hole-in-one in competition; he is ninth at 10-under after a third-round 68.
• Herman Wibe Sekne is T7 at 11-under after carding a 7-under 65, tied with Perkins for best score on Saturday.
• Three Latin players are part of the six-way tie for 10th at 9-under: Marcos Montenegro (Argentina), Andres Gallegos (Argentina) and Julian Perico (Peru).
• The low Canadian through 54 holes is A.J. Ewart, who is T16 at 8-under.