Hugh Foley and Sam Murphy are safely through to the final round of the Alps Tour\u2019s Gosser Open in Austria but both are well down the field.<\/p>\n
Foley made five birdies and two bogeys in a three-under 69 that took him to four-under for the week and saw him make the cut with a shot to spare. The Royal Dublin man has now made the cut in four successive Alps Tour starts having missed the cut in the previous three, but a best finish of T25 this year means that he needs to start picking up good finishes quickly if he\u2019s to give himself a chance of earning promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour for next year.<\/p>\n
Murphy, who won the season-opening Elin Bay Open in what was his tour debut and first professional start, hasn\u2019t been able to build on it though a T12 finish at last week\u2019s Miglianico Alps Open in Italy was a big step in the right direction.<\/p>\n
He followed his opening 71 with a two-under 70 to make the cut on the number, and a good final round could see him improve on his 10th place ranking in the Order of Merit.<\/p>\n
It was a disappointing day for Robert Moran who began the round as the leading Irishman at two-under but made two double bogeys and a triple along with three bogeys, a birdie and an eagle in a seven-over 79 to miss the cut.<\/p>\n
Stephen Grant is also going home early after a second-round 74 dropped him back to one-over-par.<\/p>\n
The locals will have a big interest in the final round as Austrian amateur Jakob Lotschak continues to lead the way but he now has sole possession of the lead after being in a three-way tie after 18 holes.<\/p>\n
The teenager has a one-stroke lead at -11, with Italy\u2019s Filippo Grossi in solo second at -10 and a further three players sharing third at nine-under.<\/p>\n