Tim Rice shot a two-under round of 70 – his best of the week – to give himself a fighting chance of pushing his way into the top 17 and securing safe passage to Stage Two of DP World Tour Q-School.
After rounds of 71 and 74, the Limerick man began round three on the 10th and an early bogey did little for his chances of advancing but he responded with back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15, then added another on 18 to make the turn at -2 for the day.
A single bogey and a single birdie on the front side got him to the clubhouse at -1 for the week and tied for 37th, but he’s five shots off the provisional qualification mark with two players tied for 16th at -6 and the top 17 and ties moving on to Stage Two.
This means he’ll have to take an aggressive approach to the fourth and final round as it’s an ‘all or nothing’ situation.
Argentinian Andres German Gallego can sleep soundly knowing that he has an 11-stroke cushion on the those occupying the final berths after a 67 that followed back-to-back 66s moved him to -17 and into a three-stroke lead.
Norway’s Mats Ege is in second place at -14, with another Argentine in Julian Etulain two shots further back and in solo third.
FULL SCORING
