O'Rourke lurking in Buenos Aires after late surge
Conor O'Rourke. Picture: Asociación Argentina de Golf
Conor O’Rourke scorched home in 33 to keep his outside hopes of a win alive in the South American Amateur Championship in Argentina.
The 25-year old Naas international shot a three under par 69 and ended the day tied for seventh on five under, six shots behind Costa Rica’s Paul Chaplet.
Chaplet won the 2016 Latin America Amateur Championship and a place in the Masters, where he missed the cut.
But he’s in front at Martindale Country Club in Buenos Aires, where he carded a third round 66 to lead by two shots from Mexico’s Fernando Cruz Valle (70) and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann (70) on 11 under par, 205.
O’Rourke birdied the first and bogeyed the fourth to turn in level par, then birdied the 12th, 13th and 17th in a homeward nine of 33 to move three places up the leaderboard.
UCD and Castle’s Alex Gleeson had five birdies on his card. But the Irish Close champion also made two double bogeys in an outward 40 and signed for a two over 74 saw him fall seven spots to tied 17th on even par 216.
In the women’s championship, Mexico’s Isabella Fierro shot a five under par 67 to remain in the lead, now four clear of Argentina’s Delfina Acosta (71) on 10 under par.
