On the 25th anniversary of the Dunhill Links, where Pádraig Harrington has played every year since the event began, the Irishman fittingly made the cut and is in the top 25 heading into the final round at St Andrews.
Harrington shot a round of 68 at the Old Course at St Andrews on Saturday, with five birdies and one bogey, to go with a round of 67 at Kingsbarns and a 71 at Carnoustie. It leaves him in tied 21st position on 10-under-par, eight shots behind the leader South Africa’s Casey Jarvis.
The Dubliner, now 55 years old, has made the three-day cut on the regular DP World Tour for the first time since finishing in the top 20 at the PGA Championship in May.
Jarvis, on 18 under, leads by two strokes from England’s Matthew Jordan and Poland’s Adrian Meronk on 16 under. Belgium’s Thomas Detry is on 15 under. Among the notables in the chasing pack are Austria’s Sepp Straka on 13 under, Matt Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntyre on 12 under.
Liam Nolan of Ireland tees off on the fifth hole on day four of the Abu Dhabi Challenge. Photograph: Francois Nel/Getty
Meanwhile, Liam Nolan has won on the HotelPlanner Tour after producing a flawless weekend performance to claim the Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
The Irishman signed for a five-under-par closing round of 65 to reach 21-under-par for the week, four strokes ahead of his nearest challenger, Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen.
Nolan, who catapults 31 places up to 12th on the Road to Mallorca and inside the promotion places, was happy to finally secure his maiden professional victory in sweltering conditions in the Middle East.
“This feels absolutely mental,” he said.
“Everything from what’s the worse that can happen to what’s the best that can happen is running through your head all the time.
“A four-shot lead, while it might look good, it’s nothing. It felt like to me like it was nothing. The mind was racing a little bit, but I played really well today and a bit more conservative in places.”
In his second full HotelPlanner Tour season, Nolan is now firmly in the promotion picture ahead of back-to-back events in China and the Grand Final at the end of the month.
With his place in Mallorca all-but confirmed, the Irishman is well placed to take one of 15 available DP World Tour cards.