Edoardo Molinari remains clear of the chasing pack after three rounds of Final Stage Qualifying School at INFINITUM in Spain.
The 43-year-old Italian, who started the day five strokes clear, signed for a level-par 72 on the Hills Course to stay at 17 under par and reach the halfway stage of the six-round marathon four shots ahead of the chasing pack, led by Frenchman Clément Sordet.
Molinari, following rounds of 65, 61 and 72, is well placed to regain his DP World Tour playing privileges at the first opportunity, and was pleased with how he handled testing conditions on day three in Tarragona.
“I didn’t get off to a great start, but it was difficult with the wind in the trees,” he said. “I felt it was much trickier today. It was swirling a lot.
“I certainly didn’t play as well as the last two days but after a ten under par yesterday it’s always difficult to follow it with another, so I’m pleased with what I did.”
The three-time DP World Tour winner successfully came through Q School in 2015 and then again in 2016, and admits that experience, coupled with patience, was the key to staying out in front.
“Patience was very important,” he added. “I had quite a big lead and sometimes it’s a bit tricky to play with such a big lead, but I just tried to play my own game, make the right decisions and I felt like for the most part, I did that.”
Englishman Matthew Southgate is five shots off the lead in third place on 12 under par, with four players one shot further back in fourth.
preferred lies in play
Elsewhere on day three, with preferred lies in play, Dutchman Vince van Veen fired a sensational 12=under-par 59 on the Lakes Course to climb from 148th into a share of 22nd ahead of the 72-hole cut.
The leading 65 players and ties will make the cut, with the leading 20 players and ties after round six earning a DP World Tour card for the 2025 Race to Dubai.
Top 20 players after round three (of six)
198 E MOLINARI
202 C SORDET
203 M SOUTHGATE
204 R SCIOT-SIEGRIST, D LIST , A FRANCES , C BARROW
205 D BRYANT, J BERRY, J HARDING, A BONETA , I ZALLI
206 A SETTEMSDAL, M SHARPSTENE, B VIRTO, F KENNEDY, D LAW, W BESSELING, F MORY, J OLESEN, S GARCIA, S TALWAR, V VAN VEEN, B COLETTA, C HANNA, R ENOCH, R LUMSDEN
For all the latest scores at Final Stage Qualifying School, click here.