Moriarty looking on the bright side
Colm Moriarty was looking on the positive side after a disappointing two-over par 74 left him three shots off the pace entering the final round of the €150,000 Challenge of Ireland at Glasson Golf Hotel and Country Club near Athlone.
The local hero finished the day on five-under par after a rollercoaster round that featured four birdies and six bogeys as former US Amateur champion Richie Ramsay of Scotland carded level par 72 to lead by a shot on eight-under par from Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson (66) and Englishmen Marcus Higley (66) and Richard Bland (72).
“It was a difficult day but I started poorly and was three over par after five and it was always going to be a struggle to shoot a really good round from there,” said Moriarty, who went to the turn in three-over par 39 but came home in 35 with three birdies and two bogeys on his back nine.
“Overall I am reasonably happy because at least I didn’t shoot myself out of it and I am only going to be three shots behind going into the last day. After the start I had I have to say that I am pleased enough with the way I finished.”
Early starters Gustafsson and Higley defied gusting winds to card superb rounds of 66 that give them every chance of picking up a victory that will speed their return to the main tour.
famous for his colourful sun hats, Gustafsson (31) went out in level par with one bogey and one birdie on his card but scorched home in six-under par 30 thanks to four birdies in his last five holes while Yeovil native Higley, seventh in the rankings, had six birdies in a bogey free effort.
Winner of the 2004 Qualifying School, Gustafsson had two runner up finishes on the main tour in 2005 but lost his card last season due to neck problems.
He said: “I had a problem with my neck for two years and then I decided to get my fitness in order. It’s been an up and down sort of a year. Now for the first time i feel like I am swinging well.
“I finished second to Peter Hanson in the Spanish Open and then (Sergio) Garcia chipped in Switzerland so hopefully I can chip in here. It would be nice to get a win to get up the rankings and be a bit more comfortable.”
Royal County Down based Englishman Simon Thornton posted a fine 68 to lurk just over shots off the pace on four under but Lurgan rookie Gareth Shaw confessed that he couldn’t hit the ball close enough to the tight pin positions and had to settle for a one-over par 73 that left him just outside the top-10 on three-under par.
First round leader Michael McDermott struggled to a 75 to slip to tied 16th on two-under with Birr’s Justin Kehoe who birdied two of his last four holes for a level par 72.
Waterville's David Higgins started with a birdie but dropped six shots in the next 11 holes en route to a 77 and a one-over par total.
Challenge of Ireland, Glasson Golf Hotel & CC (Par 72)
208 R Ramsay (Sco) 66 70 72;
209 P Gustafsson (Swe) 75 68 66, M Higley (Eng) 71 72 66, R Bland (Eng) 68 69 72;
210 D Drysdale (Sco) 67 74 69;
211 J Blixt (Swe) 70 75 66, D Wardrop (Eng) 68 72 71, C Moriarty (Irl) 67 70 74;
212 S Thornton (Irl) 71 73 68, C Del Moral (Esp) 70 71 71;
213 R Rock (Eng) 73 71 69, A Tampion (Aus) 71 71 71, T Milford (Eng) 69 72 72, G Shaw (Nir) 69 71 73, S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 73 73;
214 O David (Fra) 71 73 70, L Gagli (Ita) 72 72 70, D Marmion (Eng) 72 71 71, M Smith (Eng) 70 72 72, J Kehoe (Irl) 71 71 72, M Haastrup (Den) 69 72 73, E Goya (Arg) 65 75 74, A Gee (Eng) 67 73 74, C Lee (Sco) 67 72 75, M McDermott (Irl) 64 75 75;
215 R McEvoy (Eng) 71 73 71, I Garbutt (Eng) 74 70 71, A McArthur (Sco) 72 71 72, M Tullo (Chi) 72 71 72, D Park (Wal) 71 71 73, W Besseling (Ned) 67 74 74;
216 G Davies (Eng) 70 75 71, G Murray (Sco) 71 74 71, R Davies (Wal) 70 75 71, B McCarroll (Irl) 74 71 71; G Lockerbie (Eng) 69 75 72, R De Sousa (Sui) 69 74 73, A Butterfield (Eng) 69 74 73, G Maybin (Nir) 70 73 73, T Cruz (Por) 67 72 77;
217 M Pilkington (Wal) 71 74 72, G Bowden (Irl) 72 73 72, T Dykes (Wal) 70 74 73, S Henderson (Sco) 68 75 74, R Coles (Eng) 68 74 75, D Carter (Eng) 74 68 75, D Higgins (Irl) 66 74 77;
218 M King (Eng) 72 73 73, B Miarka (Ger) 72 73 73, A Willey (Eng) 72 73 73, S Juul (Den) 74 70 74, M Zions (Aus) 70 72 76;
219 J Clément (Sui) 71 74 74, R Steiner (Aut) 72 73 74, P Nilbrink (Nor) 72 73 74, S Davis (Eng) 67 77 75, L James (Eng) 71 73 75, A Rocha (Bra) 70 74 75, R Kakko (Fin) 73 71 75, C Smith (Wal) 72 71 76, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 70 72 77;
220 E Ramsay (Sco) 72 73 75, B Grace (RSA) 71 74 75, D Horsey (Eng) 69 75 76; B Evans (Eng) 71 73 76, K Sullivan (Wal) 72 72 76; A Snobeck (Fra) 69 74 77, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 73 78;
221 P Streeter (Eng) 72 73 76, P O'Keeffe (Irl) 72 71 78, J Ruebotham (Eng) 67 74 80.