Tom McKibbin shot a two-over 73 that saw him head the wrong direction on moving day at the FedEx Open de France at Le Golf National, while Swede Jesper Svensson will take a one-stroke lead into the final 18.
The 21-year-old Holywood man began on the 10th and struggled off the tee, hitting just seven of 14 fairways and twice visiting the water – the first occasion from the tee on 13 and the second coming on approach to the 18th from the right-hand rough. These led to a bogey and a double bogey respectively, and he recorded two further bogeys on the opening nine thanks to a three-putt on his first hole and another wayward tee shot on 17.
Birdies on 11 and 14 helped limit the damage, however, but he still made the turn at +3 and had slipped heavily down the leaderboard.
His ball striking wasn’t that much better on the front side, but his short game came to the rescue on several occasions and, despite only having two decent looks at birdie, managed to convert one and kept any further bogeys off the card to salvage a two-over 73 but still falls to T58.
At this stage in the season, all Race to Dubai points are crucial, so there’s still plenty to play for on Sunday, even if he’s confined to the also rans.
Svensson might be in his rookie season on the DP World Tour, but he already has a win to his name and he’ll be in the final group on Sunday with a one-stroke lead.
The Swede, who won the Porsche Singapore Classic in March, carded a four-under 67 to sign for a 13-under total as he moved one clear of Sam Bairstow and Thorbjørn Olesen at Le Golf National.
After starting the day in a share of the lead, the 28-year-old carded four birdies on his opening six holes to move three strokes clear. He then parred his next six before making his fifth gain of the day on the par-4 13th.
Svensson then slipped back to 13 under after dropping a shot on the 17th just as Bairstow signed for a bogey-free six-under 65 to move to within one.
“It was a test of patience out there. I hit the ball really well today I thought. A lot of good looks. Hit a lot of good putts. I mean it was a good day but definitely a test of patience. There was a lot of putts that just snuck past. Hopefully they will drop tomorrow.
“Singapore was a great week, and so far this has been a great week as well,” said Svensson. “All I want to do is have a chance tomorrow on 18, and that’s what I’m trying and keep playing for.”
Olesen, who was a member of the victorious Ryder Cup side at this venue in 2018, carded a 67 to join Bairstow on 12-under as he looks to go one better than his debut runner-up finish at this event in 2011.
“I felt like I was struggling a little bit with my game but I never got in trouble out there,” Olesen explained. “The bad shots were still pretty good, so this that was nice. A steady round… there were some loose shots but I just managed my game really well today I think.
“I think my putting was pretty consistent all day. Holed some good putts down the front nine, a couple of good putts, and then obviously that one on 17 was really important.”
Both Svensson and Bairstow are in their rookie campaigns after graduating from the European Challenge Tour, finishing fifth and 18th respectively on last year’s Road to Mallorca Rankings.
The English pair of Dan Bradbury and Joe Dean share fourth on 11-under-par, with Dean signing for a five-under 66 to move seven places up the leaderboard.