The Irish Golf Club Gazette: 05/07/16

5/07/2016

Mixed Fortunes in Morocco Four Irish

Peter Lawrie Round 3 - Getty Images

Paul Dunne finished three under par in the third round of the Trophée Hassan II with a score of 69 on Saturday to lead the Irish contingent on moving day. His round started with a pair of birdies and bogeys on the front nine and was followed by birdies on holes 10, 11 and 13 on the way back to the clubhouse.

The Greystones golfer lies eight strokes off the lead ahead of the final round on a one over par total along with Peter Lawrie.

Lawrie opened his account with a bogey and it was to prove a contrasting day to the good fortunes of Friday as he signed for his first double bogey in seven rounds. The par 3 ninth hole throwing up that particular bad news and seeing him reach the turn in 40 strokes.

The back nine coughed up three birdies in a fight back that continued to the last green. But having already bogeyed 12, 13 and 16 the level par 37 could not improve on the +5 round of 77.

Gary Hurley ended three over for the day and a round of 75 the result of three dropped shots on the back nine having reached half way level par.

Kevin Phelan suffered double trouble on the Royal Golf Dar as Salam Red Course with two coming on the eighth and fourteenth to finish on 78 strokes.

Having started with three straight pars Phelan then dropped shots on the way to the turn and carded those further losses on the back nine in the tough conditions.

On top of the leader board the troubles were of a different kind as Chris Hanson faces probably the most important round of his golfing career on Sunday as he takes a one shot lead into the final round after a five under par 67.

The 30-year-old Qualifying School graduate a one shot leader on six under for the week.

Hanson, who finished fourth in a Challenge Tour event in Madrid last week, has never finished higher than 39th on The European Tour, but carded five birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-five 12th to sit a shot clear of compatriot David Dixon and Clément Berardo of France.

Dixon came home in 33 to card a round of 67, with playing partner Berardo shooting a 68 after chipping in at the 13th.

Another Englishman, Joshua White, lies fourth after dropping two shots late on, with in-form Korean Jeunghun Wang fifth on three under.

McIlroy Mixed Day at Wells Fargo

McIlroy at Wells Fargo - Getty Images

Rory McIlroy moved into contention midway through his second round at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina on Friday before dropping down the field at Quail Hollow by the last hole.

The world number three did well to avoid a double-bogey on the 18th hole – when he pitched to within a couple of feet of the pin having had to take a penalty drop after finding water with his second shot – to card a three-under 69 that moved him to two under, six shots behind clubhouse leader Andrew Loupe.

McIlroy’s wedge play was the key to his success, a brilliant chip-in eagle from 80 feet at the seventh kick-starting a run that saw him knock in three straight birdies to get to five under for his round after 10 holes

He was within four shots of Loupe at that stage, the American having earlier carded a one-under 71 to post a mark of eight under. But McIlroy failed to keep the foot down, making three bogeys on the final seven holes, with just one more birdie coming on the 14th.

Shane Lowry was two shots outside the cut after carding a a one-over second round of 73.

Pádraig Harrington also missed the weekend with five-over par 77 second round left him on seven over.

Phil Mickelson used his short game pedigree to claw his way within three strokes of Loupe.

The five-times Major champion hit only nine greens in regulation but used his vaunted touch around the greens to piece together a two-under 70.

He got up-and-down to save par on eight occasions, his lone bogey coming at his final hole, where he drove into a bunker.

“I scrapped it around,” said Mickelson. “My short game was sharp. I hit a lot of good iron shots, but I had to play for par a little too many times because I didn’t put it in play off the tee,” he said.

Loupe, who shared the first-round lead with fellow American Steve Wheatcroft, had a chance to build a substantial advantage, only to bogey two of his final three holes for a 71.

“It’s half-time,” said the long-hitting Loupe, who is without a win in 53 starts on the PGA Tour and understands a 36-hole lead counts for little.

American Roberto Castro was one shot behind Loupe on seven under after a fine six-under 66.