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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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