McGee and Phelan seek fast finishes in Switzerland
Joel Girrbach. Picture © Emanuel Stotzer
Derry's Ruaidhri McGee is just four shots behind home hope Joel Girrbach entering the final round of the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG.
Girrbach, 23, carded a seven under par 64 on day three and one clear in his bid to become the first home winner of the tournament in its 14-year history.
“It was really special for me today,” said Girrbach, who is 14 under par overall. “To play in front of your home crowd and see a lot of familiar faces was a great feeling and I am delighted with how I performed."
Chase Koepka, whose brother Brooks is a four-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, sits in second place after his six under par score of 65.
France’s Victor Riu, who won the 2013 Swiss Challenge, is two back on 12 under par, where he is joined by America’s Julian Suri – who currently sits in first place in the Road to Oman Rankings after winning last week’s D+ D REAL Czech Challenge.
Overnight leader Craig Lee carded two birdies and two bogeys for a level par score of 71, meaning he will start the final round three shots behind Girrbach with McGee four behind on 10 under after a 69.
Kevin Phelan fell back to tied ninth after a one-over 72 but is still just five behind.
Cormac Sharvin (70) is tied 23rd on six under.
Scores after Round Three:
199 J Girrbach (Sui) 68 67 64,
200 C Koepka (USA) 68 67 65,
201 V Riu (Fra) 67 66 68, J Suri (USA) 64 68 69,
202 C Lee (Sco) 68 63 71,
203 Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 67 67 69, M Fenasse (Fra) 68 67 68, M Cort (Eng) 67 67 69,
204 J Zunic (Aus) 67 70 67, L Gagli (Ita) 68 68 68, M Trappel (Aut) 71 66 67, Kevin Phelan (Irl) 68 64 72, P Whiteford (Sco) 67 69 68, J Senior (Eng) 70 68 66, E Johansen (Nor) 72 63 69, B Rusch (Sui) 70 65 69,
205 W Harrold (Eng) 74 64 67,
206 O Farr (Wal) 68 69 69, M Delpodio (Ita) 74 65 67, S Hodgson (Eng) 67 71 68, P Oriol (Esp) 68 69 69, F Laporta (Ita) 68 69 69,
207 Cormac Sharvin (Nir) 69 68 70, B Paolini (USA) 64 71 72, J Arnoy (Nor) 71 68 68, D Van Driel (Ned) 70 66 71, M Iten (Sui) 68 69 70, S Kim (USA) 68 71 68,
208 R McCarthy (Aus) 71 67 70, P Howard (Eng) 67 73 68, J Lando Casanova (Fra) 69 70 69, J Doherty (Sco) 71 68 69, S Brown (Eng) 70 67 71, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 67 71 70, T Murray (Eng) 71 66 71, C Ford (Eng) 69 65 74, D Vancsik (Arg) 70 68 70,
209 C Braeunig (Ger) 73 67 69, D Law (Sco) 70 70 69, G Migliozzi (Ita) 70 67 72, M Haastrup (Den) 69 71 69,
210 B Hellgren (Swe) 72 68 70, S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 68 75, A Saddier (Fra) 71 69 70, K Johannessen (Nor) 70 66 74, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 67 67 76, J Bower (Eng) 69 71 70, M Kramer (Ger) 70 70 70, N Cullen (Aus) 67 72 71, R Hjelm (Den) 68 71 71,
211 M Schneider (Ger) 71 69 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 69 72, K Eriksson (Swe) 71 68 72, W Besseling (Ned) 70 69 72, L Galliano (Sui) 68 70 73, L Cianchetti (am) (Ita) 70 70 71,
212 B Easton (RSA) 71 68 73, N Ravano (Ita) 70 69 73, G Woolgar (Eng) 70 69 73,
213 M Wiegele (Aut) 69 70 74, D Huizing (Ned) 67 71 75, V Østerby (Den) 68 72 73,
215 P Roos (Fin) 72 68 75,
216 C Sordet (Fra) 70 70 76,
CUT
147 David Carey (Irl) 70 77
148 Stephen Grant (Irl) 72 76
151 Rory McNamara (Irl) 76 75
