Paul McBride is just one shot off the lead with 18 holes to go in the inaugural Longwy Alps Open thanks to a scintillating back nine.
Robert Moran had started the day as the brightest Irish hope after shooting a six-under 66 on day one, but could only manage a one-over 73 on day two and slips down the leaderboard, but McBride has come through to take up the mantle and he’ll go in search of his maiden Alps Tour victory in Saturday’s final round.
McBride’s round was a slow burner, starting on the 10th, he mixed in two bogeys and two birdies on his opening nine to turn at level-par for the day and -2 overall. It didn’t take long for things to take a turn for the better, however, and once they did, they got very good.
Two and four were the only holes on the front side that he made par on, and birdied the other seven to come home in 29 and shoot a seven-under 65 that moves him to -9 and just one off the lead in a tie for third.
Michael Young is next best at -6 and occupies a share of ninth place, with Moran one further adrift in a tie for 17th.
Unfortunately, James Sugrue, Brandon St. John and Marc Boucher all fell the wrong side of the cutline.
Luca Galliano from Switzerland moves into the lead alongside Italian amateur Luca Memeo with a two-day total of 10 under-par. Italy’s Federico Livio, Benjamin Kedochim from France, are alongside McBride in a three-way tie for 3rd place at nine-under-par.