Ayora extends lead at Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final – Golf News

Angel Ayora will take a two-shot lead into the weekend of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A after he posted a bogey-free seven under par round of 65 at Club de Golf Alcanada.

The Spaniard, who entered the second round with a one-shot advantage after his course record 62 yesterday, carded seven birdies to move to 17 under par in Alcúdia, two ahead of Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan who signed for an eight under par round of 64.

The 20-year-old showed no signs of nerves with a birdie at the par five first hole, before two more gains at the fourth and seventh saw him make the turn at three under par.

He would make four more gains at holes ten, 11, 13 and 15 to race into a commanding lead before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning in the area.

BACK ON THE COURSE

Once play got back under way, Ayora parred his way in to remain at the top of the leaderboard.

Ayora, who entered the week in sixth position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, is projected to climb into the Number One spot and would become the third Spaniard to win the Challenge Tour Rankings after Carl Suneson in 1999 and Alvaro Velasco in 2010.

“I’m very happy,” he said. “I played very well just like I did yesterday and I hope to keep doing the same over the weekend.

“The ball striking was important so as not to make any mistakes. I had one situation on the 12th but I made a very good chip to save it.

“It’s amazing, being here in Spain, playing the last tournament of the Challenge Tour season.

It’s very special. I tried to be relaxed and play comfortably. My game is very good, so I feel like I can do that.

“You never know what can happen but I’m going to stay calm, stay patient and we’ll see what happens.

I definitely thought about winning the Rankings at the start of the week, because it’s what I want.

TIGHT FINISH

Rasmus is a very good player though, and he could have a low one on Saturday or Sunday, but we’ll see what happens. He’s a very good player and it is motivation for me to play well.”

Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen entered the season finale in second place on the Rankings and he sits in third position at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final on 12 under par, while Finland’s Oliver Lindell is two shots further behind in fourth.

Frenchman Martin Couvra shares fifth position with Denmark’s Nicolai Kristensen on nine under par, while countryman Hamish Brown, Australian Hayden Hopewell and Swedish duo Niklas Lemke and Björn Åkesson share seventh on seven under.

The third round will get under way at 8:33am local time with Ayora teeing it up in the final group alongside Reitan at 12:45pm.