Tyler Reynolds has a love-hate relationship with the Maumelle Classic golf tournament.
Reynolds, 26, has been the leader heading into the final round the past two times he has played in the event -- and lost each time at Maumelle Country Club.
"Hopefully, I'll just play better this time," said Reynolds, who shot a 3-under 69 Saturday to take a one-shot lead at 5 under heading into today's final round of the 47th annual event. "Last year, I wasn't in great shape and I got really tired.
"This year, I'm in a little bit better shape, and I have a caddie. Maybe I'll last this time. I've got to keep the pedal to the metal."
Reynolds, of Rogers, will play with Cabot's Connor Gaunt, who is one stroke back at 4 under, and Little Rock's Mitchell Ford, who heads into the final round at 3 under. The final group is scheduled to tee off at 1:20 p.m.
Adam House of Rockwall, Texas, is three strokes back at 2 under after shooting a 1-over 73 Saturday.
There are four players tied for fifth at 1 under: Thomas DePriest of Lake City, Matt Weber of Broussard, La., Nicholas Zimmerman of Sherwood and Logan Pate of Richmond, Texas.
DePriest shot a 4-under 68, the low round of the day, to move up from a tie for 25th.
First-round leader Cameron McRae followed an opening-round 68 with a 7-over 79 to fall back.
Pate, a former University of Arkansas at Little Rock player who shot an opening-round 4-under 68, gained a three-shot lead at 6 under after nine holes Saturday but ended up shooting 5-over 41 on the back nine to fall four shots off the lead.
Reynolds, who regained his amateur status last year after trying professional golf out of college, didn't sound like someone who was dreading holding the lead despite his past failures.
"Right now, this is a pretty good story," he said. "I've had the lead twice. I had a three-shot lead and lost last year. I've had the lead 3-4 times in this tournament, and I've never won. But you always want to be in the final group."
Reynolds will be joined by Gaunt, a former standout at Cabot who committed to Arkansas Tech University when he was 15 years old.
He stood by his commitment, but is now headed to SEC powerhouse LSU.
"I always believed I was good enough, " Gaunt said. "But I loved the coach and the team at Arkansas Tech. I knew it was a good team. Had a chance to win every tournament."
It was Gaunt's 10th-place finish at a tournament hosted by LSU in the fall that got LSU interested in Gaunt.
"I played well in the fall, they noticed me," he said. "Went on a visit after that, and the rest is history."
He will have a full four years of eligibility at LSU because his first season at Arkansas Tech was wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
"I wasn't going to give someone my word and then back out on it," said Gaunt, explaining why he stood by his early commitment. "I'll have four years to play at LSU, and I can play right away. It worked out perfect."
Gaunt said there is no extra pressure on him to play well before reporting to Baton Rouge on Aug. 12.
"I know where I'm going to school, and I know I'm going to a great school. There's nothing to worry about. I don't try to beat anybody else but the course."