Kennedy trails rampant Neinaber by ten
Max Kennedy. Picture: LIV Golf
Max Kennedy has big ambitions in 2025, but making his mark on the Hotel Planner Tour will not be a walk in the park.
Cut in his first three starts, the Royal Dublin man (23) wants to earn promotion to the DP World Tour via the top 20 in the Road to Mallorca rankings.
But even after following a six-under 67 with a three-under 69 in the NTT DATA Pro-Am at Fancourt Golf Estate, the former University of Louisville standout found himself a whopping ten strokes behind leader Wilco Neinaber.
The big-hitting South African (24) took a three-shot lead into the weekend after he completed his rain-delayed first round yesterday and posted a bogey-free 12-under 60 on the Outeniqua Course.
He then made seven birdies in a bogey-free 66 on The Links to lead by three strokes from compatriot Jacques Blaauw on 19-under when play was suspended.
Kennedy birdied the fourth and bogeyed the fifth on the Montagu Course before following an eagle three at the ninth with a birdie four at the 10th.
He was tied for 12th on nine-under, ten shots behind Neinaber, while Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy (31) made five birdies in a 69 on the Outeniqua Course to share 49th on five-under.
Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell was a shot further back after making six birdies in a 69 on the Outeniqua layout.
On the Ladies European Tour, Kildare’s Lauren Walsh missed the cut by three strokes in the PIF Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club.
Fourth in the season-opening Lalla Meyrem Cup in Morocco last week, the Carton House touring professional was on the back foot after opening with a double-bogey six and while she birdied the 14th and 15th, she bogeyed the next and shot a one-over 73 to finish on one-over.
She had the consolation of finishing joint fourth in the 36-hole team event on 18-under with Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck and Thai duo Jeeno Thitikul and Pornanong Phatlum, 11 strokes behind Team Henseleit.
Thitikul made nine birdies in an eight-under 64 to lead the individual event by three shots on 13-under from England’s Annabell Fuller and Korea’s Somi Lee, heading into the final round.
