Conor Purcell is in with a shout of a high finish at the Challenge Tour’s Hopps Open de Provence after a third-round 71 moved him to -5 for the competition heading into the final day of action in France.
Dermot McElroy is two shots back of Purcell – who finished the day with a share of 36th – on three-under-par after he recorded a one-over-par round of 71, leaving him tied for 48th.
Last night’s leader, Italy’s Francesco Laporta, finished his round on -16 for the competition and one stroke ahead of the chasing pack, led by the duo of Lucas Vacarisas and Félix Mory.
In what was a good day’s work for Purcell, his start had the potential to derail his good work on Friday – starting two-over-par through as many holes thanks to a double bogey on the second.
But as the Portmarnock golfer has shown already this week, he is able to bounce back from setbacks and returned to level for the day after birdies on the fourth and sixth.
Another bogey at eight was followed by a birdie at none, and he made the turn at level-par, but crept back into black figures with another bogey on the 11th.
It seemed as though the 26-year-old was set to record his first over-par round of the week until the final two holes of his round, where he sank consecutive birdie putts to finish his round on one-under and on -5 for the tournament to date.
Purcell’s playing partner, McElroy, again found the going tough on the same few holes that have caused the Northern Irishman issues already this week.
McElroy started his round with a bogey on the first, which he bogeyed on the opening day of the tournament also. He recovered well over the course of his front nine with birdies on the fifth and ninth sending him into his final nine holes on one-under-par for his round.
A birdie on the 11th brought McElroy onto -2 for the day but yet again it was the 13th and 14th that prevented the 30-year-old from achieving a more palatable round.
A double bogey-bogey run on these two holes brought the Ballymena golfer back above par for the day and he would finish his round on one-over-par and -3 for the week so far.
At the top of the leaderboard, Francesco Laporta’s round of 69 means he retains the top spot overnight even though it was his ‘worst’ round so far in the competition.
Laporta did most of his damage on the last three holes of the front nine, birdieing both the seventh and eighth before an eagle on the ninth.
“I was playing okay so I knew some birdies were on the way,” said the Italian, “I was just waiting for that. My game is solid and if I give myself opportunities it’s good.”
“We only have three tournaments to go,” he added. “I’m just outside the top 20 so I need a good week to get back in, so it’s a good opportunity tomorrow.”
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