Alex Maguire will go into the final round of the Clutch Pro Tour Championship in a share of third place as James Sugrue staged a fightback to keep his promotion hopes alive on day two.
After an opening six-under 64, Maguire was one off the lead going into round two but found himself eight shots in arrears by the time he made his way to the first tee at Al Ain Golf and Equestrian Club in the UAE.
Five birdies in his first eight holes saw him close to within three, and when he added another on the par-5 10th he’d moved into solo second and had the leader in his sights. But two bogeys over the closing five holes saw him slip back into a share of third, four shots behind leader Tom Sloman of England who enjoys a three-stroke gap over Korea’s Hyeonji Kang.
Mark Power is a shot behind Maguire and sharing fifth after a five-under 65 that he closed out with back-to-back birdies after dropping his only shot of the day on the 16th, but it was Mallow man Sugrue who entered the week with most to gain as he ranked third in the Order of Merit and the top three at the conclusion of this week’s event earning promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour for 2026.
An opening round of level-par wasn’t the ideal start, but it could’ve been worse had he not birdied two of the final three holes. He responded with a bogey-free five-under 65 in round two, again picking up strokes in two of the last three, to climb into a share of 20th place at -5.
Unfortunately for Sugrue, Sloman is one of the players who could overtake him and should the Englishman go on to convert his 36-hole lead, Sugrue would need to finish in solo fifth place to guarantee that he’ll finish above him in the rankings, and there are others who could still pip both men if they place high enough.
Rounds of 67 and 68 see Robert Brazill join Sugrue at -5, while Cormac Sharvin’s 62 was the lowest round of the day from a male player, and he too is part of the seven-strong group with Sugrue and Brazill.
Paul McBride lost ground with a 72 and sits tied for 34th at -3, and Daniel Mulligan pushed his way into red figures with a two-under 68 to get to -1.
John Ross Galbraith sits on +3, while Marc Boucher and Brandon St John just made the top 100 and ties cut on +11 and share 99th.
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