Rookies Tom McKibbin and John Murphy opened with two-under 70s but found themselves eight strokes behind Finland’s Sami Välimäki in the year-ending AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Sami Välimäki has become the first Finnish player to be named the European Tour’s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year after an impressive 2020 campaign which included a maiden win at March’s Oman Open and culminated in a top five finish at the season-ending Rolex Series event, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Ryder Cup star Jamie­­ Donaldson will go in search of his first European Tour title in more than six years as he takes a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open.

Marcus Armitage and Jamie Donaldson share the lead at the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open on 11 under par but will need to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning as play was suspended due to fading light.

Cormac Sharvin battled to a two-under 69 to go into the final round just two strokes outside the top 10 in the ISPS HANDA Wales Open at The Celtic Manor Resort.