The Island’s Paul McBride scorched home in four-under par to go into the final round of the Alps Tour Qualifying School just four shots off the lead.

The Dubliner made the turn in one-over at Terre dei Consoli Golf Club in Rome before making birdies at the 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th en route to a three-under 69 that left him tied for fourth with Spain’s Javier Gallegos Marsal on five-under.

Scores

Australia’s Will Heffernan shot a seven-under 65 at the same venue to lead by two shots on nine-under from American Blaire McKeithen with Druids Heath’s Simon Bryan, the first round leader, sixth on four-under after carding a one-under 71 at Golf Nazionale.

Heffernan is three clear of England’s Jack Trewhitt in third and feeling good on the greens.

"I'm confident with the putter,” he said. “The putter and the driver in fact but it's all about the putting here as it's quite wide off the tee. I holed a lot of putts today and that's always gonna get it done, isn't it? So far, I'm doing everything pretty well so I can't complain.”

Bryan made three birdies and two bogeys in his 71 to share sixth with Scotland’s Will Porter with Rhys Clarke tied 39th on four-over after a 76.

The cut for the top 65 and ties fell at seven-over 151 with 16 amateurs among the 73 players coming through. 

Peter Dallat (78-75) and Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell (80-73) missed out by two shots on nine-over.

The Final Round tees off tomorrow from the 1st and 10th tees of the Golf Nazionale to decide who gets category 6 

The top 35 and ties after Thursday’s final round will have Category 6 membership on the Alps Tour next year with Category 8 for those finishing from 36th to 73rd.

Those players who did not make the cut will be eligible for membership in Category 9 of the Alps Tour for the 2021 season.