Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A, after producing a sensational ten under par round of 62 on moving day.
The Dane fired ten birdies without a blemish to reach 22 under par for the week at Club de Golf Alcanada and lead by one from overnight leader Angel Ayora from Spain.
The 25-year-old earned automatic promotion to the DP World Tour in September after securing three wins on the 2024 Road to Mallorca, and he is now looking to earn his fourth victory of the campaign and become just the second Danish winner of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final after Marcus Helligkilde in 2021.
Neergaard-Petersen started the day five shots off the lead, but got off to the perfect start, closing the gap to Ayora at the top by carding three birdies in his opening five holes.
While Ayora could only make the turn in level par, Neergaard-Petersen added a fourth gain of the day at the ninth to reduce the deficit to one as he headed to the back nine.
Neergaard-Petersen then climbed into the outright lead for the first time in Mallorca with birdies at the tenth and 11th, before making three in a row from the 13th, and a closing birdie on 18 to make sure of his place at the top.
CAN HE EMULATE THOMAS BJORN
The 25-year-old is projected to climb to the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings and would become the fourth player from Denmark to be crowned Challenge Tour Number One after Helligkilde (2021), Joachim B Hansen (2018) and Thomas Bjørn (1995).
“I played great today and felt a lot better than yesterday,” he said. “I got the putter rolling, especially on the back nine, and it was fun to be out there.
“The whole point of me being here this week is to finish at the top of the Rankings, and I knew I was going to have to go low to catch up with Angel because he is playing great.
“I kept it really simple today and made sure to take advantage of the easy holes and the par fives. I made some great putts and hit a lot of wedges pretty close. I’m pleased with my game today and it was great to make ten birdies.
“Angel is playing great and he looking to get that Number One spot too. It’s going to be exciting for everyone tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it.”
HOT ON HIS HEELS
Ayora remains in contention for a second win of the season though after firing back late on day three. The 20-year-old mixed three birdies with three bogeys on the front nine, before making four birdies on the back nine without a bogey to sign for a four under par round of 68 and stay one back.
The Spaniard would need to win the Rolex Grand Final and rely on Neergaard-Petersen finishing no higher than third if he is to top the Rankings, and by doing so he would become the youngest Challenge Tour Number One in history.
Kristoffer Reitan matched Ayora’s round of 68 to reach 19 under par, three shots off the lead in third place. The Norwegian, who began the week 36th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, is projected to climb to 19th should he remain in third place, which would earn him promotion to the DP World Tour.
Oliver Lindell from Finland sits in solo fourth on 11 under par, while Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist who is another currently projected to climb into the promotion places, sits in a share of fifth on ten under par alongside Englishman Ben Schmidt and Danish duo Hamish Brown and Nicolai Kristensen.
FINAL ROUND DETAILS
The final round of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final gets under way at 8:00am local time with Neergaard-Petersen teeing off alongside Ayora at 12:05pm.
