McGee lurking in Challenge de España
Ruaidhri McGee during the 2017 Irish Challenge. PictureL Jimmy Penrose
Derry’s Ruaidhri McGee blasted eight birdies in a four-under 68 to go into the final round just four shots off the pace in the Challenge de España.
The 27-year old is tied for eighth on six-under-par as he bids for his maiden win on Europe's second tier tour with Michael Hoey just one stroke further back in 12th after a 69.
Wil Besseling and Oscar Lengden share the lead on ten under par following a sun-baked day at Izki Golf.
The duo, playing in the penultimate group of the day, passed overnight leader Julien Brun with a string of birdies on the back nine.
Swede Lengden carded a four under par 68 while Besseling went one better by signing for a 67.
Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin, the first round leader, signed for a 74 and lies tied 36th on two-under.
McGee birdied the first and followed a bogey at the fourth with three birdies in a row from the sixth to turn in 33.
The then double bogeyed the par-four 10th, birdied the 11th and 12th to get to three-under before following another bogey at the 13th with birdies at the 16th and 18th.
Challenge de España, Izki Golf, Urturi, Spain (Par 72)
206 W Besseling (Ned) 69 70 67, O Lengden (Swe) 69 69 68,
207 C Braeunig (Ger) 69 72 66, J Brun (Fra) 69 66 72,
209 J Sjöholm (Swe) 70 70 69, R McGowan (Eng) 72 71 66, N Lemke (Swe) 71 69 69,
210 A Rozner (Fra) 70 72 68, Ruaihri McGee (Irl) 72 70 68, M Ford (Eng) 71 67 72, T Santos Silva (Por) 74 71 65,
211 E Goya (Arg) 69 73 69, A Knappe (Ger) 73 69 69, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 71 73 67, Michael Hoey (Nir) 71 71 69,
212 C Feldborg Nielsen (Swe) 71 70 71, P Angles (Esp) 70 73 69, N Geyger (Chi) 70 72 70, N Johansson (Swe) 71 70 71, J Senior (Eng) 70 70 72, J Hansen (Den) 72 72 68,
213 V Perez (Fra) 72 72 69, R McEvoy (Eng) 73 70 70, P Barjon (Fra) 70 71 72, L Nemecz (Aut) 73 68 72, M Haastrup (Den) 74 71 68, M Kim (Kor) 70 73 70, S Khan (Eng) 72 70 71, S Tarrio Ben (Esp) 73 72 68, J Huldahl (Den) 72 70 71, A Meronk (Pol) 67 70 76, B Hellgren (Swe) 73 72 68, R Langasque (Fra) 72 69 72, D Boote (Wal) 71 73 69, J Pastor (Esp) 68 73 72,
214 J Doherty (Sco) 73 68 73, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 75 69 70, R Santos (Por) 71 72 71, J Quesne (Fra) 69 73 72, R Van West (Ned) 70 73 71, Cormac Sharvin (Nir) 65 75 74, R Enoch (Wal) 69 72 73, P Figueiredo (Por) 76 69 69, C Mivis (Bel) 71 71 72, N Von Dellingshausen (Ger) 67 71 76, P Mejow (Ger) 72 71 71, R Sciot-Siegrist (Fra) 72 69 73,
215 A Tadini (Ita) 74 70 71, G Stal (Fra) 71 69 75, B Virto (Esp) 71 73 71, A Arnaus (Esp) 73 72 70, P Maddy (Eng) 72 72 71,
216 M Gradecki (Pol) 70 75 71, J Maw (Eng) 74 68 74, B Parker (Eng) 75 68 73, E De La Riva (Esp) 76 69 71,
217 H Leon (Chi) 74 71 72,
218 D Berna Manzanares (Esp) 72 71 75, D Borda (Esp) 70 74 74, R De Sousa (Sui) 72 73 73, T Linard (Fra) 71 73 74,
219 P Erofejeff (Fin) 70 75 74, H Joannes (Bel) 75 68 76, J Adams (Eng) 73 72 74, A Chapman (Eng) 78 66 75,
220 M Lundberg (Swe) 73 72 75, M Galiano Aguilar (Esp) 71 73 76,
222 F Aguilar (Chi) 74 71 77, X Gorospe (am) (Esp) 73 72 77.
