Tight at the top in race to be crowned No. 1 as Scot Euan makes hole-in-one
The Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final is set for a thrilling finale after Bryce Easton claimed a share of the 54-hole lead yesterday as he looks
to break into the Road to Mallorca top 20.
The South African made five back nine birdies in a round of
66 to move alongside England’s Nathan Kimsey at the top of the leaderboard on seven-under-par, with both men harbouring different aspirations ahead of the final round.
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge winner Kimsey is already guaranteed graduation to the DP World Tour but a win at Club de Golf Alcanada would see him become the first English Challenge Tour No. 1 since Jordan Smith in 2016.
He said: “I was just staying patient. We got off to a bit of a nightmare start, all three of us, on the first and I just made a few pars after that and couldn’t get things going.
“I felt like I was hitting it pretty nicely so I just kept faith that the putts would drop.
“I don’t want to say it was easy but I think the nature of this course and set-up makes it pretty tough anyway.
“With a little bit less wind and a few of the flags were a little bit friendlier today so it felt like you could give yourself a few more chances.
“It’s just doing the same things. Making sure I commit to the
golf shots I want to hit and have patience.”
Easton, meanwhile, came into the week in 38th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and knew he needed at least a share of third place with no more than one other player to have a chance of earning a spot in the top 20.
The three-time Sunshine Tour winner is now handily placed to fight for both his first Challenge Tour title and a spot in the top 20 but he, and Kimsey, will need to hold off a bunched pack of chasers if either are to lift the title this evening.
England’s Matthew Baldwin currently sits one shot back in third place, while Swede Oscar Lengden and Adrien Saddier, of France, are a shot further back in a tie for fourth on five-under-par.
Another Englishman, John Parry, shares sixth place with Alexander Knappe who would become the first German Challenge Tour No. 1 if he wins in Port d’Alcúdia.
Scotland’s Euan Walker, who at four shots off the lead is in a tie for eighth with Jeong weon Ko, carded the fifth hole-in-one in the history of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final when he aced the par three 17th hole.
Walker said: “I’m going to be honest, I didn’t hit many good shots today.
“For the hole in one, I was just so angry that I’d just been duffing it all round so I thought I’m just going to hit this at the hole and I hit it absolutely perfectly.
“Strike, flight, it was exactly how I imagined it. One of few good ones today.”