9/26/2013

McGee Slips to Second


Ruaidhri McGee signed for a round of 70 on Thursday to slip to second place of the PGA Europro Tour's Clipper Logistics Championship at Moor Allerton Golf Club, after a promising start of 65 on Wednesday.

The Rosapenna man bogeyed the par 5 fifth and the fifteenth, in what has been a good week for McGee having won the European Tour Q School Stage One qualifier last Friday.

Tim Rice was three places further back after second round 69.

Michael McGeady was unable to match his first round 67 and ended the day in a share of 16th place following his round of 73.

Neil O'Briain of Old Conna Golf Club enters the final round in 40th place after his ceodn round 69.

Ryan O’Neill will take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Clipper Logistics Championship at Moor Allerton Golf Club on Friday, as he bids to make it into the top 60 on the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit.

The Wigan golfer celebrated his 25th birthday with a six-under-par 65 to top the leaderboard on ten under after 36 holes. 

Billy Hemstock, Ruaidhri McGee, and Greg Payne share second on seven under.

The Clipper Logistics Championship is the final event of the regular schedule, after which only the top 60 will be invited to play the888poker.com Tour Championship at Prince’s next month. O’Neill (Penwortham Golf Club) is currently 93rd on the Order of Merit and knows he is likely to need a top-five finish to earn his place in the season finale.

“I need a really good finish as the season hasn’t gone to plan as yet,” he said. “I have done the maths and it is doable so we will have to wait and see.

“My putting has been really good so far this week. Hopefully it continues as the greens are tricky. There are some slopes in there so if you can get on the right side of the green with your approach you can be a bit more aggressive with the putts.

“You have to pick you lines and go for it. You have to attack the pins enough because it is soft and you can get it relatively close. You have to be on the right side of the green - that is the key.

“I always go in to tournaments thinking I will do well but it doesn’t always happen that way. You can feel good about your game but sometimes something just doesn’t click.

“It can be hard to keep focused on your job when it isn’t quite going for you, it can be frustrating. I came here for a practice round last week and that has definitely helped.

“I took golf up quite seriously when I was released by Wigan Athletic Football Club when I was 16. I have always loved playing golf and played as a hobby from about 13.”

A cut to the leading 50 players plus ties has now been made with all golfers whose 36-hole score is one over par or better proceeding to play the final round on Friday, September 27.

Richard Weldon misses the cut after carding a 78 on Thursday.


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Phelan Stays in Touch

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Kevin Phelan carded a third round 76 on a tough day at Ribagolfe, where only one player broke 70 during the third round of the First Qualifying Stage Section C. 

The Waterford golfer notched up five bogies in Portugal to make the turn in 39 to finish the day in a share of 17th place, and still seven places inside the mark to earn a place at Stage Two.

Reeve Whitson was less fortunate with a 79 dropping him to 61st place, and unable to repair any of the losses from Wednesday's round  of 77.

Nicholas Grant misses the final round after his opening round 75, second round 79 already pushed him down the field, with an 85 on Thursday leaving him +23.

Up front it was American Daniel Berger who made the running after Belgium’s Thomas Pieters went from five ahead to three behind after a third round 80. He remains well on course to qualify for the Second Stage, however, with the top 24 and ties after tomorrow’s final round progressing.

Fernando Figueroa of El Salvador made the biggest move on day three of the First Qualifying Stage Section C at Bogogno as an eight under par 64 put him right on the qualifying mark with a round to go.

While Alessio Bruschi of Italy, who has led from the start, was joined at the top by Swiss amateur Joel Girrbach at 14 under par, all eyes are on who will finish among the top 24 and ties to progress to the second stage.

And it was Figueroa who caught the eye as he rattled in nine birdies and dropped just one shot to climb from tied 70th to tied 24th with a round 14 shots better than the previous day.

More than 200 players have been competing at Bogogno GC in Italy and Ribagolfe in Portugal with the top 24 and ties from both venues qualifying.
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McGee Feels Payne in Leeds

European Tour
Ruaidhri McGee and Greg Payne both shot 65 on the opening day of the Clipper Logistics Championship at Moor Allerton Golf Club to lead the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event by one on six under par.

Welshman Tim Dykes and Bristol & Clifton Golf Club’s Paul Reed share second on five under after shooting 66 on the par-71 course on Wednesday. Seven golfers are two off the leaders on four under par.

The event is the final tournament prior to the Tour Championship at Prince’s next month, and only the top 60 on the Order of Merit at the end of this weeks’ competition will be invited to play in the season finale.

Last year just two pence separated 60th and 61st position, making every shot vital in the race to secure a spot at Prince’s.

The Clipper Logistics Championship is the Tour’s first event in Yorkshire this season, and five 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour winners are either from or attached to a club in the county.

Marcus Armitage (-2, Howley Hall GC), James Hepworth (-1, Ilkley Golf Club), Alex Belt (-1, De Vere), Dave Coupland (level, Sharp Sports Golf Management) and Daniel Gavins (level, De Vere Oulton Hall) are all in contention to secure their 2014 Challenge Tour card by virtue of finishing in the top five on the EuroPro Order of Merit.

Nick McCarthy (-1, Moortown Golf Club) is currently 11th on the money list as the tour’s highest-ranked player yet to win an event this season.

Joint leader McGee (Rosapenna) signed for an unblemished 65 with four birdies on his front nine having started the tournament on the tenth tee.

Greg Payne (Chobham Golf Club) lies 19th on the Order of Merit and a win this week would move him into the all-important top five. He shot eight birdies on his way to six under, bogeying the fourth and 11th – both par threes.

Order of Merit leader George Woolgar (Capitalservices) is one of seven golfers tied fifth on four under, two behind Payne and McGee. The Chesterfield golfer is already assured of a top-five finish and is the only player to have won two 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour events this season.

The Clipper Logistics Championship is a 54-hole strokeplay event. A cut will be made after 36 holes, with the leading 50 players plus ties proceeding to play the final round on Friday, September 27.


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