Edoardo Molinari remains clear of the chasing pack after three rounds of Final Stage Qualifying School at INFINITUM.
The Italian, who started the day five strokes clear, signed for a level par round of 72 on the Hills Course to stay at 17 under par, and reach the halfway stage of the six-round marathon four shots ahead of Frenchman Clément Sordet who occupies solo second on 13 under par.
Molinari, following rounds of 65-61-72, is well-placed to regain his DP World Tour playing privileges at the first opportunity, and was pleased with how he handled testing conditions on day three in Tarragona.
“I didn’t get off to a great start, but it was difficult with the wind in the trees,” he said. “I felt it was much trickier today. It was swirling a lot.
“I certainly didn’t play as well as the last two days but after a ten under par yesterday, it’s always difficult to follow it with another, so I’m pleased with what I did.
“It was good to finish with a birdie on my last hole, which was a tricky hole today. To finish the round level par, all-in-all it’s a good day.”
The three-time DP World Tour winner and Ryder Cup Vice Captain successfully came through Q-School in 2015 and then again in 2016, and admits that experience, coupled with patience, was the key to staying out in front.
“Patience was very important,” he added. “I had quite a big lead and sometimes it’s a bit tricky to play with such a big lead, but I just tried to play my own game, make the right decisions and I felt like for the most part, I did that.
“My putting wasn’t great, and definitely not as good as it has been for the last two days, but level par in these conditions, on this course, is not too bad.
“I haven’t really hit a bad putt in two days so it’s going to happen eventually, but I kept it together well.”
Englishman Matthew Southgate is five shots off the lead in third place on 12 under par, with four players one shot further back in fourth, including Australian Danny List, Dane Alexander George Frances, Englishman Callan Barrow and Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist.
Elsewhere on day three, with preferred lies in play, Dutchman Vince van Veen fired a sensational 12 under par 59 on the Lakes Course to climb from 148th into a share of 22nd ahead of the 72-hole cut.
The leading 65 players and ties will make the cut, with the leading 20 players and ties after round six earning a DP World Tour card for the 2025 Race to Dubai.
Round four of Final Stage Qualifying School gets under way at 9:00am local time, with Molinari teeing off alongside Frenchman Félix Mory and Norwegian Alexander Settemsdal at 10:00am.
