“Hopefully a few more putts drop” - Nolan edges closer to card hi

Liam Nolan hopes his putter warms up as he heads into the final round of HotelPlanner Tour's Grand Final with his DP World Tour card tantalisingly within his grasp.

The Galway man (26) is bidding to finish the season inside the top 15 in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings who will be awarded promotion to the main tour next season.

He started the week ranked 10th, knowing a top-seven finish at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca would mathematically guarantee him one of those 15 cards.

While a one-under 71 left him tied for 25th on six-under in the 45-man field and projected to fall to 12th in the standings, he needs just one more solid round to take a massive step forward in his career.

"I've played well all week," said the Bearna native, who birdied the fourth and fifth and dropped just one stroke at the short 14th in another steady display. 

"It hasn't been flawless by any means, but it's been very solid. So I'm happy enough with that.

"It was really windy, and I probably didn't make the most of the scoring holes in the early back nine.

“But I made very few mistakes, so it was a little slow in terms of birdies. But only one dropped shot out there in that wind is pretty good."

With several family members and his coach Kenny Fahey travelling to support him, he feels good about his chances.

"He's great to have out here," he said of Connemara man Fahey, who has coached him since he was 11 or 12. 

"He's been very good to give me the week out here and make sure everything's all right in the swing, and then just having fun on top of that."

Nolan's family watched him finish joint last 12 months ago, so he's hoping to give them something to cheer about this time.

"Last year they were here as well, but there wasn't much to celebrate," Nolan said. "So it's nice that I'm playing a bit nicer this year, and I'm in a better position on the Rankings coming into the week. So they're definitely enjoying it a bit more this year."

As for the final round, he feels confident that if he plays with the consistency he's shown all season, he can get the job done.

"I'm just going to do the same things I've been doing," he said. "I'm swinging it really well, and hopefully a few more putts drop. That'd be lovely. And yeah, just enjoy the last 18 holes here."

While much can change in the final round, just two players who began the week outside the top 15 in the Rankings are projected to win cards.

England's Charlie Foster would jump from 22nd to eighth and American John Catlin from 41st to 14th in the Rankings after carding rounds of 66 and 68, respectively, to enter the final round tied for second with the already promoted South African MJ Daffue on 14-under.

They're just one shot behind France's Julien Sale, already assured of promotion, who shot 70.

At the LPGA Tour's Maybank Championship,  Lauren Walsh and Leona Maguire moved up the leaderboard as defending champion Miyu Yamashita shot a five-under 67 to take a two-stroke lead into Sunday's final round.

The 2025 AIG Women's Open champion leads on 18-under at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from China's Yan Liu (63) and France's Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (67).

Walsh had an excellent day, missing just one fairway and one green in regulation in carding a bogey-free, seven-under 65.

The Co Kildare talent moved up to tied 40th on five-under while Maguire made five birdies in a 68 to share 47th on three-under at Sunrise Golf and Country Club.

On the Ladies European Tour, local star Ching Huang fired a seven-under 65 to claim the lead at Wistron Ladies Open in Chinese Taipei.

She heads the field by a shot on 14-under par from Order of Merit leader Casandra Alexander of South Africa, who shot 68.

Elm Park's Anna Foster moved up to 27th on three-under as a late double-bogey at the short 16th forced her to settle for a 71.

Douglas' Sara Byrne struggled at times from the tee and shot 74 to share 49th on one-over.

At the Simmons Bank Championship in Arkansas, Daree. Clarke (68) was tied for 28th on four under, then shots behind Darren Fichardt (61).

Padraig Harrington (71) was 46th on one under.