A third-round 72 dropped Honolulu’s Tadd Fujikawa into a tie for ninth at the PGA Tour Q-School’s First Stage in Kannapolis, N.C., yesterday. The 19-year-old is at 4-under-par 209 going into today’s final round.

Fujikawa had three birdies on the first six holes yesterday, but played the back nine in 2-over.

In Dayton, Nev., Leilehua graduate Nick Mason soared into a tie for ninth with a third-round 64. Mason had eight birdies and no bogeys to move up 24 places. He is at 11-under 205 going into the final round.

King Kekaulike graduate Samuel Cyr dropped from second to sixth at the Santee, Calif., site. Cyr shot 73 yesterday and is at 5-under 211. Hawaii State Open champion Jesse Mueller, from Arizona, is 12th at 83–213.

The top 23 and ties from each of the three sites advance to the Second Stage next month.

There are 13 First Stage events being played around the country through Oct. 30. Turtle Bay’s Palmer Course will be the site for the first PGA Tour Q-School event in Hawaii next week. That First Stage runs Tuesday to Friday, with golfers going out at 7:30 a.m. daily.

The field of 36 includes Hilo’s Jarett Hamamoto and Pierre-Henri Soero, both former UH golfers. Tony Finau, who represents Turtle Bay, also is playing.