Like day one, the Warrnambool golfer fired a 69 ? which included four bogeys and five birdies ? in the second round on Saturday.

He started poorly in the third round at Waialae Country Club yesterday, recording bogeys on the first three holes.

After a birdie on the sixth, there were bogeys on the eighth and 12th, with the latter putting him at a worrying four-over.

But the 26-year-old had a stellar finish, holing three consecutive birdies from the 14th to 16th.

And he finished with another on the last.

His 70 put him two under par and tied for 44th place along with seven other players.

Leishman is nine strokes behind joint leaders, compatriot Robert Allenby and American Ryan Palmer, who are both 11 under par on 199.

While the Australian fired a 67 in Honolulu yesterday, Palmer managed a 68.

Sony Open defending champion, American Zach Johnson, is three shots behind the leaders after shooting 70 yesterday.

Last year he finished equal 12th after carding a seven-under-par 273 in the same event.

Leishman has a huge task ahead of him if he is to fulfill his pre-tournament aim, which was to improve on his performance at last year's Sony Open.