Nolan, Moran, Conroy, Foley and McClean lead Irish into final day at St Andrews Links Trophy

Nolan, Moran, Conroy, Foley and McClean lead Irish into final day at St Andrews Links Trophy
Liam Nolan (Galway). Picture by Pat Cashman

Liam Nolan (Galway). Picture by Pat Cashman

Galway’s Liam Nolan went into this morning’s third round of the St Andrews Links Trophy just two strokes off the lead.

This year’s West of Ireland runner-up carded rounds of 67 and 71 on the Jubilee Course to share fifth place on six-under-par.

Live scoring

Australia’s Conor McKinney (64, 72) and Scotland’s George Burns (69, 67) led by one stroke on eight-under-par from Australia’s Adam Brady and  Scotland’s Rory Franssen heading into the final two rounds on the Old Course today.

Castle’s Robert Moran is tied 12th, four strokes off the lead on four-under after a brace of 70s.

Enniscorthy’s Paul Conroy (75, 68), Royal Dublin’s Hugh Foley (73, 70) and Malone’s Matthew McClean (71,72) were the only other Irishmen to make the cut for the top 40 and ties.

The trio are tied 30th on one-under-par

Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins (77, 68) and Co Sligo’s TJ Ford (73, 72) missed the level par 144 cut by one stroke.

Carton House’s Marc Boucher finish on 147; Athenry’s David Kitt, Bray’s Alan Fahy and Castleknock’s Paul Coughlan on 148; Carton House’s Keith Egan on 149; and Elm Park’s John Cleary on 155.

Ireland has produced three winners of this prestigious tournament since it was first played in 1989 - Alan Dunbar (2009), Conor O’Rourke (2016) and John Murphy (2018).