Jonathan Yates posted a second successive three-under par round of 69 to move inside the top-10 ahead of the final round of the Alps Tour’s Red Sea Little Venice Open in Egypt.
The Naas professional fired five birdies and two bogeys to sit in a tie for ninth at six-under, eight shots back of Luca Cianchetti’s lead but only five strokes off second. He was one of two Irish players into the last round with David Carey also progressing through the 36-hole cut.
The Darwin Escapes swinger was locked alongside Yates at three-under starting the second round on Monday but traded a bogey, a double and three birdies for an eventual one-over 73 to sit in a tie for 35th at minus-two. Simon Bryan missed the cut by two strokes after returning scores of 73 and 72.
After sealing the new course record 62 (-10) on the opening day at Sokhna GC (A+B courses), Italian Cianchetti kept the foot down in round two with a four-under 68 to maintain a comfortable three-strokes margin over fellow compatriot Ludovico Addabbo and Frenchman Julien Foret, both sitting at 133 (-11).
“Today it was a bit more difficult for me, but I expected that,” said Cianchetti, 25, who is attached to Bologna GC. “After such a good round you need to completely reset, and I think I kind of made it right. Even though I did not play as well as yesterday, I was able to make good use of any birdie chance I had.
“I have made a few more mistakes and three bogeys (on holes 1, 2 & 5), but on a positive note I closed with three birdies in a row in the last five holes (from hole 6 to 8). My putting was still decent today while my long game was more erratic than yesterday. Tomorrow I will need to reset it all again, and think shot by shot.”
50 players made the cut at -1, including eight amateurs. The final round will start on Tuesday at 7:00 local time, with the leader’s team off at 8:28 from hole 1.
- Full scoring HERE
Leave a comment