John Ross Galbraith and Jonathan Caldwell were unable to maintain the pace of day one as both players dropped back at the EuroPro Tour’s COBRA PUMA NXT LVL Championship on Thursday.
After posting superb eight-under par rounds of 65 on day one at Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf, and Spa, it was Clandeboye’s Caldwell who fared best of the two but his one-under par 73 saw a win most likely slip from his grasp.
At nine-under par, Caldwell is six shots off the pace set by leader Marco Penge but still inside the top-10 in a share of 7th spot, he’ll be hoping to finish strong on Friday to continue trending upwards during a crucial stage of the season.
Whitehead’s Galbraith could only manage a one-over par 74 that saw him fall to a share of 18th at seven-under.
Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney enjoyed a fine second round performance to move up the board alongside Galbraith. The Dubliner produced five birdies in a four-under par 69 as he continues to play himself into some recent form.
One shot further adrift and just inside the top-30 at minus-six sits Naas pro Conor O’Rourke and St Anne’s Cameron Raymond after the pair enjoyed rounds in the 60’s on Thursday. O’Rourke shot up the board with a 67 while Raymond’s resurgence of late continues after a 69 this afternoon.
Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan could only manage an even-par 73 after a 68 on day one. It was a case of one step forward and one back for Grehan whose four birdies were cancelled out by four dropped shots.
With a brutal cut falling at five-under par, Daniel Brennan was desperately unlucky to miss out despite shooting a sizzling six-under par 67 on day two. The Shannon golfer fired six birdies and an eagle and looked to have turned his week’s fortunes but the minus-fours fell foul of some rapid second round scoring.
That’s the same score as Kilkenny’s Luke Donnelly who returned a tidy three-under par 70 to still miss out.
Brendan McCarroll (-2), Owen Crooks & Dermot McElroy (+1) and Cork’s John Hickey (+7) were also headed home.
It’s Penge who hung tough atop the board at 15-under with the Golf at Goodwood man one clear of Richard Mansell (Beau Desert Golf Club). Penge found himself with eight birdies for the day before going off to do some falconry.
Mansell also carded a second round of 67 to put himself in contention with five birdies on the front nine and an eagle on ten for good measure as he goes in search of his maiden PGA EuroPro Tour title like Penge.
Daniel Gaunt (Burhill Golf Club), James Fraser (Machynys Peninsula) and Jack South (Hagley Golf Club/Taymar Homes) are all tied for third.
Gaunt and Frazer were both bogey-free whilst South went seven deep for the best round of the day alongside Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Centre) who pulled himself back from three over to four under.
Despite McKechnie’s efforts, the cut was made at five under with a high standard of golf being shown in Tarporley.
Behind Gaunt, Frazer and South is Todd Clements of Brocket Hall Golf Club on ten under after back to back rounds of 68.
Steve Robins (Hull Golf Club) is amongst a contingent of players tied for seventh on nine under after going six under for his second round. Robins was also bogey-free like Will Enefer (Retail Furniture Ltd) and John Parry (Harrogate Golf Club) who are also in the mix on nine under.
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