Robert Moran and Paul Murphy are both just two shots off the lead after matching opening four-under-par 68s at New Giza Golf Club in the third Alps Tour event of 2024.
Moran has made the cut in both his Alps Tour starts to date, with a best finish of 11th at the Red Sea Little Venice Open earlier in the week, and his continued acclimation to the professional ranks sees him post his best opening score to date at New Giza.
Birdies at two, four, five and nine saw the Castle man turn at -4, setting a strong pace, but he could only manage one more birdie on the back side, giving that stroke back at the 16th and even though it’s an excellent opening effort, he’ll be a little disappointed not to be at least one shot better.
Murphy has yet to post an over-par round for the season, but he’s also yet to make a cut after his two rounds of level-par saw him miss out by the minimum at the season-opening Elin Bay Open and then rounds of one and two-under respectively at Little Venice came up two shots shy. But he’s put himself in pole position to not just play all three rounds this time out, but to go considerably better and challenge for a first Alps Tour win.
The Rosslare man started out with a bogey-five, but replied with birdies at two, three, five, eight and nine to make the turn in the same number as Moran. And like Moran again, he’d trade a single birdie and a single bogey on the tougher back nine to reach the clubhouse at -4, ending the day tied for ninth and just two back.
Paul McBride at one-under is next best of the Irish, and he’s right around the cutline – which comes after 36 holes – in a tie for 43rd, while Marc Boucher (+2), AJ McCabe (+4) and Brandon St. John (+5) all have a lot of work to do if they’re to earn their place in the third and final round.
Frenchman Benjamin Kedochim leads the way at -6 after a bogey-free 66, and he enjoys a one stroke lead over the large group in a seven-way tie for second. This group includes England’s Aaron Edwards-Hill and France’s Paul Margolis.
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