Hutcheon joint fourth in Wales
Challenge with one round to go

From Paul Symes, Challenge Tour Press Officer
England’s Ian Garbutt has his sights set on securing his first European Challenge Tour title in 12 years after playing himself firmly into contention at the SWALEC Wales Challenge.
A steady round of 71 at Vale Hotel Golf and Spa Resort in Cardiff, Wales, moved Garbutt to three under par 213 and within one shot the joint leaders, John Mellor of England and Sweden’s Joel Sjoholm on four-under 212.
Aberdeenshire man Greig Hutcheon is the leading Scot in joint fourth place on 215.
After re-assessing his schedule during a family holiday in Portugal last week, Ian Garbutt will now concentrate full-time on the Challenge Tour in a bid to regain his playing privileges on The European Tour, which he lost last year.
Garbutt said: “I decided not to play in Russia this week, because the Challenge Tour is my best route of getting back onto The European Tour full-time. I’m well down in the Rankings, but a decent finish here will be a massive boost.”
Compatriot Mellor, whose sole Challenge Tour victory came at the Open de Cote d’Ivoire in 1998, had looked to be establishing an insurmountable lead, only to drop three shots in his last four holes.
But the 38 year old was still pleased with his afternoon’s work, saying: “It could’ve been even better but level par round here’s not a bad score, so it’s not as if I’ve lost ground or gone backwards. I’ll probably be a bit nervous tomorrow, but being in with a chance of winning is why we play golf.”
For Sjoholm, the decision to return from Moscow – where he had flown to compete in the Inteco Russian Open Golf Championship on The European Tour – after learning of his invitation to play at the SWALEC Wales Challenge appears to be paying handsome dividends.
He said: “I feel like my game’s improving week on week. My main aim is just to enjoy myself, but obviously it’d be great to win on the Challenge Tour in my first season.”
Earlier in the day, Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey secured his second hole in one of the season with an ace at the third hole. Hoey’s five-iron from 213yd pitched 10 feet short of the pin and released into the cup for the fourth hole in one of his career.
Only four Scots survived the 36-hole cut - Greig Hutcheon is lying joint fourth on 215, only three shots off the pace and capable of winning it with an inspired last round; George Murray is second best Scot on 218, Oldcorn is on 220 and Henderson, who needs a high finish more than anyone, is on 222.
THIRD ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 216 (3 x 72)
212 J Mellor (Eng) 70 70 72; J Sjoholm (Swe) 70 71 71;
213 I Garbutt (Eng) 71 71 71.
215 B Pettersson (Swe) 69 73 73, G Hutcheon (Sco) 71 70 74, D Gaunt (Aus) 74 70 71;
216 M McGeady (Irl) 71 74 71; G Maybin (Nir) 74 71 71; G Clark (Eng) 73 70 73; M Thorp (Nor) 71 71 74.
217 R Cabrera Bello (Esp) 71 74 72; J Axgren (Swe) 76 69 72; M Soffietti (Ita) 71 73 73; S Robinson (Eng) 71 71 75; C Russo (Fra) 76 70 71;
218 I Van Weerelt (Ned) 71 75 72, G Murray (Sco) 71 74 73, T Milford (Eng) 74 73 71; J Huldahl (Den) 75 72 71; B Austin (Eng) 73 71 74; A Gee (Eng) 75 73 70; D McGuigan (RSA) 75 67 76;
219 J Clément (Sui) 75 71 73; J Haeggman (Swe) 75 72 72; R Davies (Wal) 75 67 77; J Morrison (Eng) 74 71 74; S Jeppesen (Swe) 71 73 75; M King (Eng) 71 72 76; E Johansen (Nor) 72 73 74; A Högberg (Swe) 73 72 74; A Tampion (Aus) 74 72 73.
220 B Wiesberger (Aut) 74 73 73; M Haastrup (Den) 75 69 76; O David (Fra) 78 69 73; W Bladon (Eng) 79 70 71, A Oldcorn (Sco) 78 69 73.
221 P Price (Wal) 74 74 73; A Willey (Eng) 73 72 76; J Wade (Aus) 75 72 74; B Miarka (Ger) 79 69 73; W Besseling (Ned) 74 75 72; J Morgan (Eng) 76 72 73; C Del Moral (Esp) 70 72 79; A Bernadet (Fra) 72 70 79; M Higley (Eng) 70 76 75; S Benson (Eng) 74 69 78; K Baraka (Ger) 73 70 78; S Mason (Eng) 72 74 75.
222 R Coles (Eng) 73 76 73; D Park (Wal) 73 75 74; M Hoey (Nir) 76 72 74; C Gane (Eng) 77 72 73, S Henderson (Sco) 72 76 74.
223 G Clark (Eng) 75 71 77; C Moriarty (Irl) 75 74 74.
224 P Kaensche (Nor) 75 74 75; S Ottosen (Den) 75 74 75; D Horsey (Eng) 70 75 79; M Cort (Eng) 69 73 82; G Shaw (Nir) 76 72 76.
225 R Treis (Ger) 74 74 77; A Butterfield (Eng) 72 74 79; M Murphy (Irl) 74 75 76; P Dwyer (Eng) 73 76 76.
226 D Ulrich (Sui) 73 75 78.
227 P Evans (Wal) 74 75 78; J Little (Eng) 74 75 78; M Cryer (Eng) 73 76 78; J Quesne (Fra) 76 72 79;
228 J Hepworth (Eng) 76 73 79;
229 N Walker (Eng) 76 73 80; D Marmion (Eng) 76 73 80.
SCOTS WHO MISSED THE CUT
150 P Doherty (Sco) 76 74, E Thomson (Sco) 80 70.
151 E Ramsay (Sco) 76 75, R Ramsay (Sco) 76 75.
153 M Loftus (Sco) 76 77.
158 S Jamieson (Sco) 84 74.
160 M Henderson (Sco) 80 80.