Justin Suh (USC photo)

Suh, the current #3 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Amateur ranking and last year's Pac-12 player of the year, shot consecutive rounds of 4-under 68 at North Ranch Country Club to give the Trojans the inside track to winning this tournament or the first time since 2016.

Kaito Onishi (Japan) shot rounds of 69-72 for USC to put himself in the top five.

Suh had a share of the lead until a bogey on his final hole dropped him to one shot behind Clay Feagler (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) of Pepperdine. Feagler, who finished fifth in this tournament last year, had rounds of 69-66 for the Waves, who won the Southwestern two years ago but who have an uphill climb for a second title in three years. They are 15 shots behind the Trojans in fifth place with one round to go.

Sean Maruyama (Encino, Calif.) shot a tournament-low 7-under 65 in the afternoon to help UCLA stay within range of successfully defending their title. The Bruins will play with their Pac-12 rivals USC in the final round, with a five-shot deficit to make up.

U.S. Amateur runner-up Devon Bling (Ridgecrest, Calif.) was UCLA's low scorer in the morning with a 3-under 69.

Cal-Berkeley sits in third, giving the Pac-12 the top three spots on the leaderboard. The Bears were led by World #2 Collin Morikawa (La Cañada Flintridge, Calif.) with two straight rounds of 2-under 70. They are nine shots back of the Trojans.

Tennessee is in fourth place, 12 shots behind the leaders.