Liam Nolan backed up his opening 68 at Golf Nazionale with a three-under 69 at neighbouring Terre dei Consoli and the Galway man finds himself a shot back in second place with 18 holes to go at Alps Tour Q-School.
A bogey on the seventh was Nolan’s only dropped shot of the day, and a couple of birdies either side saw him join a three-way tie at -7, with only Spaniard Jose Luis Adarraga ahead on -8.
“Very happy with my round today,” Nolan said afterwards. “I held some good putts today to avoid dropping shots, keeping my round going nicely with some good momentum. Today was a lot tougher compared to yesterday. It was colder and windier, which made the par 5s longer, so there were fewer birdie opportunities on the course. It was important for me to stay patient and try and capitalize on chances when they came.”
With the top 35 and ties receiving Category 6 Alps Tour membership, barring a complete disaster, Nolan looks set to embark on his first full season as a pro on the Alps circuit, where one of five Challenge Tour cards are the Holy Grail, but he only has eyes for the final round at this stage.
“It would be a great achievement to earn full status tomorrow to give me a full season of competitive golf. It is a great opportunity to continue to improve my game and I’m excited for tomorrow to try and get the chance to earn the full status after tomorrow’s final round,” he added.
Nolan is joined in the final round by John Murphy, Michael Young, Marc Boucher and Hugh Foley. Murphy, who’s endured a torrid time since playing his way through DP World Tour Q-School two years previous, had a rollercoaster ride on his outward nine. Starting on the 10th at Terre dei Consoli, he carded four birdies and three bogeys in his opening nine holes, but a bogey on the last was his only blemish on the front side, making three birdies prior and he lies tied for 16th at -3 after his round of two-under.
Young started a shot ahead of Murphy but ends the day one behind. A triple bogey-seven on the 13th – his fourth – at Golf Nazionale followed a birdie on 11, but four birdies and two bogeys thereafter leaves him tied for 22nd at -2.
Boucher, who finished tied for 40th and secured Category 8 membership at last year’s Q-School, is hoping to go a couple better and push his way into the top qualifying places. Back-to-back level-par rounds leave him on the number at T35, one shot ahead of Hugh Foley who is also guaranteed Category 8 status having made the cut.
But the Royal Dublin man looked destined to miss the cut after a triple bogey, two bogeys and two birdies left him three-over for the day and +4 overall at the midpoint of round two. Three birdies on the spin from the 12th hole turned things around, and in a tie for 43rd, he’s got a free roll of the dice on the third and final day.
There was no joy for Tom Dowdall who missed the cut on the number or Brandon St. John, who will both get limited starts next season with Category 9 status.