Kearney needs Asian Q-School blitz

Canada’s Richard Lee leads the Asian Q-School where Niall Kearney needs a low final round to get his card. Pic via asiantour.comNiall Kearney has it all to do in the final round of the Asian Tour Q-School in Thailand after a third round 73 left him three shots outside the qualifying places.

The Royal Dublin man had hauled himself back into the mix with a six under 66 on Thursday. But today’s two over effort at Springfield Royal Country Club in Hua Hin leaves him tied for 75th on one-under par with the top 40 and ties who will earn Asian Tour cards on four under or better. Scores

After an early birdie at the second, the 2009 Walker Cup player made a double bogey six at the next and a bogey six at the long fourth. But while he birdied the 10th, he racked up another double bogey six at the 11th before a birdie four at the 12th got him back to two over for the day.

Canada’s Richard Lee came home in 31 to card a five under 66 and top the leaderboard by three strokes from Thailand’s Donlaphatchai Niyomchon (72) on 15 under par.

Scotland’s James Byrne (64), Japan’s Kodai Ichihara (67) and England’s Steve Lewton (70) share third place on 11 under heading into Saturday’s crucial final round at the par-72 Imperial Lakeview course.

Kearney will feel positive about his chances after Thursday’s 66 there but knows he may need to shoot at least a four under par 68 to have any chance of winning his playing rights for the 2013 season.

The card of the day came from South Africa’s Anton Haig, who had just four pars in a six under 65 to move up to joint seventh on nine under.

The former European Tour winner birdied the first two holes, bogeyed the third and fourth, eagled the par-five fifth and then followed a double bogey six at the next with a birdie two at the seventh to turn in one under par.

He then had six birdies and a bogey in a homeward 31 to boost his chances of winning a full card.