Liam Nolan is hoping to give himself a kickstart heading to next week’s Q-School after a much improved round three performance that warranted better than 73 at Club de Golf Alcanada.
It was the front nine which caught Nolan again as he bogeyed the fifth, sixth and eighth with a birdie at the seventh. But he rallied early on the back nine again with kick in birdies at the 10th and 12th and he was mightily unlucky not to have four in a row with a couple of harsh lip outs on 11 and 13 before he three-putted the 17th to lie on six-over and share 43rd place.
“Today was a bit less stressful. Front nine again wasn’t great! Just hitting a couple of loose shots. Played the back nine well, unfortunate three-putt on 17 was a bit of a downer but was happy with how I played. I still have a bit to work on but getting slightly better every day,” said Nolan who is aiming to get back to level-par for the tournament on Sunday.
“Couple of dirty lip outs. That’s been the story of the week, hitting some good putts in places but because you have to be so careful with pace and just dropping them near the hole they tend to dive across the hole and lip outs, but that’s the type of course we are at. Another week they would be dropping and I would be closer to the top but that’s golf.”
The 25-year-old from Galway has enjoyed a good maiden campaign as a professional and although his first chance at claiming a DP World Tour card has gone he will have a second bite of the cherry at the six-round marathon that is the final stage of Q-School in Infinitum next week and he is hoping to carry some momentum from tomorrow’s round.
“That’s the goal. We are out of it now but it has been a fun tournament, the golf hasn’t been there but that’s not to say I can’t shoot a good score tomorrow and build some confidence and a bit more money!”
Out in the first group of the day alongside big hitting South African Wilco Nienaber, Nolan was very impressed with what he saw from his playing partner.
“You’re always trying to pick up some things from people you play with out here but there’s nothing you can really pick up off Wilco apart from maybe he hits it 40 yards further and as straight as you get. He was unlucky to not shoot a lower score today. I enjoyed playing with him.”
