Irish Golf Desk

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McGee and Phelan seek fast finishes in Switzerland

Joel Girrbach. Picture © Emanuel Stotzer

Derry's Ruaidhri McGee is just four shots behind home hope Joel Girrbach entering the final round of the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG.

Girrbach, 23,  carded a seven under par 64 on day three and one clear in his bid to become the first home winner of the tournament in its 14-year history.

“It was really special for me today,” said Girrbach, who is 14 under par overall. “To play in front of your home crowd and see a lot of familiar faces was a great feeling and I am delighted with how I performed."

Chase Koepka, whose brother Brooks is a four-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, sits in second place after his six under par score of 65.

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France’s Victor Riu, who won the 2013 Swiss Challenge, is two back on 12 under par, where he is joined by America’s Julian Suri – who currently sits in first place in the Road to Oman Rankings after winning last week’s D+ D REAL Czech Challenge.

Overnight leader Craig Lee carded two birdies and two bogeys for a level par score of 71, meaning he will start the final round three shots behind Girrbach with McGee four behind on 10 under after a 69.

Kevin Phelan fell back to tied ninth after a one-over 72 but is still just five behind.

Cormac Sharvin (70) is tied 23rd on six under.

Scores after Round Three:

199 J Girrbach (Sui) 68 67 64, 

200 C Koepka (USA) 68 67 65, 

201 V Riu (Fra) 67 66 68, J Suri (USA) 64 68 69, 

202 C Lee (Sco) 68 63 71, 

203 Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 67 67 69, M Fenasse (Fra) 68 67 68, M Cort (Eng) 67 67 69, 

204 J Zunic (Aus) 67 70 67, L Gagli (Ita) 68 68 68, M Trappel (Aut) 71 66 67, Kevin Phelan (Irl) 68 64 72, P Whiteford (Sco) 67 69 68, J Senior (Eng) 70 68 66, E Johansen (Nor) 72 63 69, B Rusch (Sui) 70 65 69, 

205 W Harrold (Eng) 74 64 67, 

206 O Farr (Wal) 68 69 69, M Delpodio (Ita) 74 65 67, S Hodgson (Eng) 67 71 68, P Oriol (Esp) 68 69 69, F Laporta (Ita) 68 69 69, 

207 Cormac Sharvin (Nir) 69 68 70, B Paolini (USA) 64 71 72, J Arnoy (Nor) 71 68 68, D Van Driel (Ned) 70 66 71, M Iten (Sui) 68 69 70, S Kim (USA) 68 71 68, 

208 R McCarthy (Aus) 71 67 70, P Howard (Eng) 67 73 68, J Lando Casanova (Fra) 69 70 69, J Doherty (Sco) 71 68 69, S Brown (Eng) 70 67 71, J Van Der Vaart (Ned) 67 71 70, T Murray (Eng) 71 66 71, C Ford (Eng) 69 65 74, D Vancsik (Arg) 70 68 70, 

209 C Braeunig (Ger) 73 67 69, D Law (Sco) 70 70 69, G Migliozzi (Ita) 70 67 72, M Haastrup (Den) 69 71 69, 

210 B Hellgren (Swe) 72 68 70, S Jeppesen (Swe) 67 68 75, A Saddier (Fra) 71 69 70, K Johannessen (Nor) 70 66 74, B Hafthorsson (Isl) 67 67 76, J Bower (Eng) 69 71 70, M Kramer (Ger) 70 70 70, N Cullen (Aus) 67 72 71, R Hjelm (Den) 68 71 71, 

211 M Schneider (Ger) 71 69 71, M Baldwin (Eng) 70 69 72, K Eriksson (Swe) 71 68 72, W Besseling (Ned) 70 69 72, L Galliano (Sui) 68 70 73, L Cianchetti (am) (Ita) 70 70 71, 

212 B Easton (RSA) 71 68 73, N Ravano (Ita) 70 69 73, G Woolgar (Eng) 70 69 73, 

213 M Wiegele (Aut) 69 70 74, D Huizing (Ned) 67 71 75, V Østerby (Den) 68 72 73, 

215 P Roos (Fin) 72 68 75, 

216 C Sordet (Fra) 70 70 76, 

CUT

147 David Carey (Irl) 70 77

148 Stephen Grant (Irl) 72 76

151 Rory McNamara (Irl) 76 75