PGA EUROPRO TOUR EVENT IN IRELAND

Scott Jamieson sharing lead

with round to go at Faithlegg

By ANTHONY LEAVER
Glasgow's Scott Jamieson and Kieran Staunton share the lead at eight under par in the Green17 Faithlegg Championship in Ireland ahead of Friday’s final round.
The duo are two shots clear of five players at six under par led by Steve Surry who shot the lowest round of the day in a bid for back-to-back victories after winning the opening event at Collingtree Park in Northampton last week.
Jamieson, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who played the US college circuit as an Augusta State University student and later the Hooters Tour when he turned pro, came out of the traps with an eagle at the second to build on his two under 70 in the opening round and recovered from a bogey at the fourth with five birdies to shoot 66.
“I really took advantage of the par fives all day, I think I was five under for them in fact,” said Jamieson, who won the first round of qualifying school at Forest Pines.
“I was just playing good golf, not really holing any long putts or anything – just playing a solid game and that’s all I need to do tomorrow really, just keep going and concentrate on my game plan.”
Staunton (Woodcote Park) was one of five leaders from the first round and he started his round on the back nine with just one birdie to go out one under after an opening round 68. He kicked on in the home straight though with three more birdies to post another 68. Jamieson was 25-1 for victory with official bookmakers Sky Bet before the event, while Staunton was 66-1 – they will be the last pair out at midday in the final round.
Surry (Cumberwell Park) began on the back nine and went out at two under before attacking the front nine with gusto to pick up five birdies to shoot record the lowest round so far in the tournament of 65 to move to six under following a one over opening round of 73 –Sky Bet will be sweating on his fine form having offered 20-1 that he would win three or more tournaments on this year’s Tour.
Jack Doherty (North Gailes) takes a spot in the chasing pack after he plundered three birdies on the last three holes to move to six under after starting at level par. Jeremy Kavanagh (Stoke Park) was in that group of leaders overnight but dropped off the pace with a two under round of 70, while Steven Capper (Caldy GC) and Andrew Thorpe (Peterborough Milton) carded rounds of 68 and 69 respectively to move right into the hunt.
Elliot Saltman (Aegon) was Surry’s partner in favouritism before the event and is still in the thick of things after a 71 and heads a group of eight players three shots off the lead at five under par.
Sandeep Grewal also carded a 66 with six birdies on the front nine to move to five under, along with James Busby (The Shropshire) who dropped just one shot in his round of 67. Spaniard Carlos Balmaseda shot a fine 66 with an eagle and four birdies to add his name to the list, with four players a shot behind that group at four under par.
Tim Rice (Limerick) can claim the most remarkable burst of the day after starting on the back nine and going out at one over. Birdies at the first and second were followed by a hole-in-one at the third and another birdie at the fourth in a three under round of 69 to be part of a clutch of five players at three under for the tournament.
With the top 15 players within three shots of each other it is sure to be a thrilling finale in Waterford.
A total of 57 players made the cut at level par for the final round with the first tee-off time at 7.30am – the full leaderboard and live scoring can be found at http://www.europrotour.com/ by clicking on the Score Updates link on the homepage.
LEADERBOARD
Par 144
136 Scott Jamieson (Sco) 70 66, Kieran Staunton (Woodcote Park) 68 68.
138 Jack Doherty (North Gailes) 72 66, Steve Surry (Cumberwell Park) 73 65.
139 Scott Herald (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) 71 68, Barry Hume (Sco) 70 69, Sandeep Grewall (Eng) 73 66, Elliot Saltman (Aegon) 68 71, James Busby (The Shropshire) 72 67, Paul Maddy (Gog Magog) 70 69, George Woolgar (Eng) 70 69, Carlos Balmaseda (Spa) 73 66.
Other Scots' scores:
142 Chris Kelly 72 70, Duncan Stewart 73 69, Paul Doherty 72 70 (jt 25th).
143 Steven Mackie 73 70 (jt 36th)
144 John Gallagher 74 70, Graeme Lornie 71 73 (jt 48th).
MISSED THE CUT (level par or better)
145 Graham Gordon 76, 69, Steven Hume 75 70, Shaun McAllister 73 72, Mark Kerr 74 71, Graeme Brown 70 75.
146 Andrew Oldcorn 74 72.
147 Lee Harper 75 72.
150 Christopher Campbell 78 72.
151 Kenneth Glen 76 75.
153 Zack Saltman 78 75.
154 Eric Walker 74 80.
165 Chris McCalman 82 83.