John Murphy and Liam Nolan are hunting down the leaders at the HotelPlanner Tour’s Danish Challenge at Odense Eventyr Golf and share eighth place.
Murphy, having opened with a six-under 66, found the going tougher in round two but still managed to record a one-under 71. He parred seven of his opening nine holes in round three but spectacularly eagled both par-5s.
A birdie on the 10th was the only time he strayed from par on the back and his 67 moved him to -12 and he’d end the day tied for eighth.
Galway man Nolan began the day a shot ahead of Murphy on -8, and after trading a birdie and a bogey in his opening six holes, he reeled off three-in-a-row to make the turn at three-under on the day.
A second bogey of the day came on 11, but it would be the last blemish on the card and he added further birdies on 12 and 15 to move alongside the Kinsale man.
Though they trail leader Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland by seven, they’re just four shots off second and Nolan, having come close to earning promotion to the DP World Tour last year in what was his rookie professional campaign, is targeting crucial Road to Mallorca Rankings points, while Murphy, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, would earn another exemption into next week’s Challenge de Espana if he finishes inside the top five.
John Ross Galbraith has moved up to T27 on nine-under after a four-under 68, with Dermot McElroy next in line on six-under.
A 73 dropped Mark Power into a tie for 51st alongside Max Kennedy who moved up from the cutline with a round of 70.
36-year-old Pulkkanen made eight birdies and an eagle in a display that included several lengthy putts holed and saw him cruise away from what was a tightly bunched pack earlier in the day.
Pulkkanen was pleased he was able to get the putts to drop after not taking his chances on the third and fourth holes, that offered good birdie chances.
“A second 63 in a row is a pretty cool feeling,” he said. “I kind of had a slow start.
“I thought it might be tough to get a low one today but then the eagle on eight and a couple birdies in a row was great. I’ve been holing a lot of putts.”
Pulkkanen, who currently sits 25th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, began his week with an opening round of one-under, leaving him well off the pace heading into day two.
He bounced back well, however, attributing his excellent second and third rounds to a new feeling with the flatstick.
“I found my putting in Walton Heath at US Open qualifying on Monday and started holing putts in the second round. I opened my stance a bit so I can see the hole better, and the stroke feels great after that.
“I just trusted my putter, it was working so well. I played the tough holes pretty good today, it was quite windy on the back nine so I’m happy.
“A third 63 tomorrow would be good.”
Frenchman Maxence Giboudot and 36-hole co-leader Algot Kleen from Sweden are Pulkkanen’s closest competitors, the pair shooting nine-under and five-under respectively to be three shots back of the leader.
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