The Italian pair of Massimo Florioli and Costantino Rocca are tied for the lead on one under par after the third round of the North West of Ireland Open was hit by high winds at Ballyliffin Golf Club.
Winds gusting at over 40 miles per hour sent scores soaring as players battled against the elements. A total of four hours and 37 minutes play was lost during the day when the Glashedy Links became unplayable under the onslaught from the wind sweeping in from the Atlantic and by the time play was stopped for the day at 9.00pm BST only two players were under par.
Leading the way were Florioli and Rocca at one under par having completed 11 holes of the third round. Rocca, bidding to become the first player to win the title twice having won the inaugural event in 1999, made nine pars, his only dropped shots coming on the eighth hole where he made a double bogey six after finding the fairway bunker and the 11th hole.
“It was very tough out there,” said Rocca. “Extremely tough. I’m three over today. Hopefully the wind will ease tomorrow. It was so difficult. You stand over the ball and the wind blows you and then putting is very difficult. Very difficult day.”
Florioli, aiming to become the third Italian golfer to win the event following Rocca in 1999 and Massimo Scarpa in 2000, had only two bogeys in his opening 11 holes, dropping shots at the second and sixth holes.
They lead Adam Mednick by a stroke, the Swede being the only player in the field to break par on the front nine after recording two birdies and a bogey in an outward half of 34. He dropped another shot at the 11th to fall back to level par but lies only one stroke off the lead.
Andrew Coltart made four bogeys in his outward half with just the one birdie coming on the seventh hole to lie on one over par through 11 holes alongside Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin.
One of the surprise rounds came from Regis Gustave from St Lucia who recorded a four over par 76.
The best round of those players who finished came from former Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst, his two over par 74 helped by an eagle three on the par five fourth hole.
Ten groups were left on the course when play was called off for the day at 9.00pm BST. They will resume their third rounds at 8.00am tomorrow morning. The 20 groups who finished their third rounds will start the fourth round at 7.00am, playing in the same order as for the third round. The last group are due to start the fourth round at 12.10pm BST.
