Robert Moran had a fine second round at the Alps de Andalucia to sit best of the Irish heading onto the final day.
Moran sits T5 on five-under, four shots back from overnight leaders Brandon Kewalramani and Flavio Michetti on -9. Paul McBride too makes the final day just inside the cut on +1 but it was not to be for Michael Young, Marc Boucher and Brandon St. John whose participation ends early.
Moran began his great day from the 10th and went around bogey free in a show of confidence. Two birdies would come on the par-4s, the 13th and again two holes later which saw the Castle GC player hit the turn on two-under.
His back nine wouldn’t disappoint either, seven straight pars for the 24-year-old were backed up with a two-three finish with birdie on the eighth and an eye-catching eagle on the par-5 ninth, his closing hole.
Moran tees off his final day on Aguilon Golf at 9.17AM with France’s Nicholas Muller and Adam Brady for company as the top 49 battle it out on Friday.
Paul McBride was off the first at lunchtime for his second day, and it was to be a notably more dramatic day than his compatriot Moran would have. A dropped shot to begin his day was grabbed back on the par-4 second, before handing it back on the par-3 following hole. This set the tone for McBride’s up and down round, with another bogey on his opening nine coming on the 7th before parring his way to the turn on -2 for the day.
The back nine was even more eventful as McBride would bogey ten and eleven before snatching one more back on the par-3 12th. Two more bogeys were to come on the following, 13th and the 15th before a late rally saw the Island player card three birdies in-a-row on his final three holes. This was vital as McBride would make the cut by a single stroke on T44.
The top-three is rounded out with the duo of Manuel Morgan and Aussie Adam Brady on six-under-par while Moran shares fifth, one back with Nicolas Muller and Ruben Lafuente Montesa.
The joint leader was on hand to reflect on a fine day-two.
After his fabulous 6 under-par round, Kewalramani commented: “Today was obviously great, the wind had died down this morning, so I was able to hit a few shots closer but to be honest my scoring didn’t come until the back nine holes. I find the greens to be rolling really pure, so I knew if I could give myself chances, I could make them. I chipped in on hole 16, which was my 7th hole of the day, which was a huge positive momentum swing. After that, I gave myself chances, and the putts started to drop.”
After he concluded his round 2, co-leader Michetti commented: “Today I had a good start, but, on my front nine, I wasn’t able to convert any birdie putts. Also, on hole 9, I made a three-putt from about 4 meters, so it was slightly frustrating. Once I began the back-nine, I missed some short birdie putts, however towards the end of the back-nine I hit some really good approach shots and that allowed me to end my round with a 3-under-par score. Overall, it was a day that my putter let me down a bit.”
He added that he found Aguilón Golf to be “in very good conditions again, we began the day with barely any wind, and as the round went on, the wind picked up.” Looking ahead to tomorrow’s final round, Michetti “doesn’t have any expectations, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I will think about a shot at a time and see what will happen after the round if it’ll be enough.”