Kearney facing final round test at Q-School
Richard Green. Picture/AsianTour.com
Niall Kearney needs will have to produce some final round fireworks to win his Asian Tour card after a third round 70 saw him slip three shots outside the top 35.
The 28-year old fell 10 plaecs to 58th on eight under par at Suvarnabhumi Golf and Country Club in Bangkok and finds himself in a major battle to get through the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
Starting in the 10th, the former Walker Cup player opened with eight pars but then mixed four birdies with two bogeys over his last 10 holes.
Kearney may need a 65 or 66 to earn his spurs in a low scoring affair with Australian left-hander Richard Green carding a four-under-par 68 to head into the final round just one shot behind Japan’s Junya Kameshiro (67) on 19 under par.
Malaysia’s Ben Leong (67) shares third place with Todd Sinnott of Australia on 18 under.
Green said: "I didn’t quite hole the putts today but I still manage to hit the ball well off the tee into the fairways which is nice. So that’s what has been keeping me going and it’s been good so far.
"I hope the putts will drop for me tomorrow. But all in all, I’m in a good position for tomorrow and I hope to play steady golf tomorrow.
“My goal is to finish in the top-three at least and if I have the chance of winning tomorrow, I’ll be going for that.”
The top-35 players and ties following the conclusion of 72 holes will earn playing rights on the region’s premier Tour in 2017.
After 54 holes
196 Junya KAMESHIRO (JPN) 67-62-67.
197 Richard GREEN (AUS) 66-63-68.198 Ben LEONG (MAS) 65-66-67, Todd SINNOT (AUS) 64-65-69.199 Yikeun CHANG (KOR) 68-65-66, William CANNON (USA) 64-68-67.
200 Raththee SIRITHANAKUNSAK (THA) 67-68-65, Teemu PUTKONEN (FIN) 65-67-68, Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 66-66-68.
201 Sihwan KIM (USA) 69-67-65, ZHENG Ou-yang (CHN) 65-66-70, Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA) 67-63-71.
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208 Niall KEARNEY (IRL) 71-67-70
