SWEDE LEADS BY TWO BUT STAGE SET FOR
LAST-DAY EURO CHALLENGE CRACKER

Sweden’s Magnus A Carlsson forged a two shot lead at the Challenge of Ireland presented by Glasson after a third round of 69 left him atop a crammed leaderboard going into the last day.
It promises to be a tense, nerve-wracking final round at the Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club, with nine players within five strokes of the lead and all capable of testing Carlsson’s mettle with a fourth round surge.
The Swede moved to eight under par 208 – two strokes clear of Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera and three ahead of Welshman Liam Bond, Norway’s Peter Kaensche, Spain’s Alvaro Velasco and another Swede, Lief Westerberg.
Matthew Cort of England is a further shot back on four under, alongside Fredrik Widmark of Sweden and Argentina’s Julio Zapata.
But the man to catch is Carlsson after a fine third round that included four birdies and just a single dropped shot.
The 26 year old is hoping to secure a maiden Challenge Tour victory after taking a couple of seasons to adjust to the vagaries of life on tour.
“I have been playing well this season and actually been hitting the ball well for a couple of years but my short game wasn’t good enough,” said Carlsson, who is currently 19th on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
“That is improving and the other important thing for me has been getting more comfortable on the Challenge Tour.
“I have been becoming more settled because it is tough when you start out here with the travelling to so many different countries. But I am enjoying it, especially now that I am playing well.
“Tomorrow I just have to keep the ball in play and more or less play for par. If I can do that the chances to make birdies will come eventually. I am in a good position – the guys behind me have to come at me.
“I will probably have some nerves tomorrow, especially on the first tee, but as long as I get going then I am sure I will settle down once I am out there.”
Gareth Maybin, meanwhile, is the only hope of a home winner going into the final round.
It will take a seriously low score for Maybin to catch Carlsson after the Northern Irishman signed for a third round of level par 72 to lie six shots off the pace.
Maybin said: “I didn’t really play that great today but I knocked it round and got up and down. It was good for my character to get up and down and make pars the way I did, but I didn’t hit it well.
“To win from here I need a low one tomorrow and probably a bit of help. I’ve taken up Membership of the Challenge Tour so that my money counts on the Rankings. My goal is to make top 10 and get into Scotland next week.”
Justin Kehoe had sparked hopes of an Irish charge by getting to within a stroke of the lead midway through the third round, but after making four birdies in his opening ten holes, the 27 year old compiled a hugely disappointing back nine of 41 and eventually signed for a 75 to fall back to one over par for the tournament.
LEADERBOARD
208 M A Carlsson (Swe) 69 70 69.
210 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 67 73 74.
211 L Bond (Wal) 73 66 72, P Kaensche (Nor) 70 73 68, A Velasco (Spa) 69 72 70, L Westerberg (Swe) 71 69 71.
Scots scores:
217 A McArthur 64 78 75.
218 G Murray 71 74 73.
219 S Henderson 72 72 75.
223 J Doherty 73 72 78.