Tullamore’s Stuart Grehan is praying the rain stays away today after he fired a bogey-free 68 to move up to tied sixth at halfway in the DP World Tour Qualifying School First Stage in Cheshire.

The former East of Ireland, South of Ireland and Mullingar Scratch Cup winner (29) made four birdies to move up to four-under-par, just six shots behind England’s Will Enefer in the race to finish in the top 18 and ties who progress to next month’s Second Stage in Spain.

Scores

“It was windy, but at least it wasn’t raining for three hours like the other day,” said Grehan, who recently won the Europro Tour to give himself a chance of winning a Challenge Tour card in the Grand Final at Lough Erne later this month.

“I played solid and I’ve been playing solid for the last couple of months, so I kept doing that again today.”

There was no play on Wednesday due to a flooded course and Grehan is concerned there could be further delays.

“Tomorrow, the weather does not look good, so I’m not sure if it’s going to be suspended again,” he said. “There is a lot of rain coming, so fingers crossed that the next few days go smoothly.”

Enefer shot 68 to lead by three strokes on 10-under from Australia’s Elvis Smylie, but the rest of the Irish have work to do to get inside the top 18 and ties.

Limerick’s Tim Rice is tied 27th on level par after a one-under 71, two shots outside the qualifying mark, with Galway’s Ronan Mullarney (74), Whitehead’s John-Ross Galbraith (76) and Cork’s John Hickey (79) eight strokes outside the qualifying places in tied 60th on six-over.

Mornington Teenager Daniel Mulligan (17) and The K Club’s Liam Grehan are in danger of missing the 54-hole cut on nine-over after rounds of 78 and 75, respectively, while Esker Hills amateur Stephen Cunningham is 10-over after a 78.