Robert Moran backed up his opening two-under 70 with the same number in round number two to make it safely through to the final round on his professional debut at the Alps Tour’s Elin Bay Open.
The 2023 Irish Close Championship winner traded one birdie and one bogey on his opening nine holes on day two at Egypt’s Sokhna Golf Club, and then added three more birdies with just one dropped shot on the back side to lie tied for 19th after two rounds and safely book his passage into the third and final round where he’ll be the only one of six Irish players to tee it up.
Rosslare’s Paul Murphy shot matching level-par 72s to miss the cut by the minimum, and Paul McBride, who began the day level with Moran, disappointingly carded a three-over 75 to slip back to +1 overall, and they are all joined by AJ McCabe, Marc Boucher and Brandon St. John, all of whom will have to wait at least another week to earn their first professional paychecks.
Two Italians lead the way after round one, and its the same story after day two, although one of the names has changed. Manfredi Manica’s 65 was the joint lowest round of the day and he leapfrogged up into first place at -11 after a 68 on day one, and he enjoys a one-shot lead over fellow countryman Jacopo Vecchi Fossa who followed his opening 66 with a 68 on day two.
Frenchman Aymeric Laussot is one shot further back in solo-third at -9, ahead of yet another Italian in Federico Livio who’d held a share of the first round lead and Spain’s Manuel Morugan at -8.
With a two-tee start in operation for the 48 players who made the cut, Moran is first out off tee number one and will be looking for a low round to see him push his way up the leaderboard and get his campaign off to a fast start with valuable Order of Merit points up for grabs in addition to a pay cheque.
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