Max Kennedy\u2019s chances of claiming a first professional victory look as though they\u2019ll have to be put on hold after a disappointing back nine saw him fall eight back at the Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge in the Czech Republic.<\/p>\n
Rounds of 67 and 68 on days one and two respectively had the Royal Dublin man lying tied for sixth at the halfway mark, and when he birdied Kaskada Golf Club\u2019s par-4 10th to get to two-under for his moving day round, a strong finish would\u2019ve seen him firmly in the mix going into the final round.<\/p>\n
But a trio of bogeys on holes 13 through 15 killed all his momentum, and though he regrouped to par his way home, he ended up with a one-over 72 that dropped him back to -6 and into a tie for 21st.<\/p>\n
Conor Purcell managed to better Kennedy\u2019s round by one, but the level-par 71 leaves him back in a share of 47th at -2, while Mark Power struggled to a 75 that dropped him into a tie for 62nd.<\/p>\n
At the top of the leaderboard, Callum Tarren, Anton Albers and Hamish Brown are all tied at 14-under with a one-stroke gap over the chasing pack.<\/p>\n
Tarren, who held a three-stroke lead heading into the third round, mixed four birdies with two bogeys to card a third round 69. Hamish Brown made his seventh birdie of the day on the 17th to move one clear but dropped his second shot of the afternoon on the 18th to move back to 14 under par, a target Albers had earlier set with his second 66 of the week.<\/p>\n
Despite not taking advantage of scorable conditions on moving day at Kask\u00e1da Golf Resort, Tarren is pleased with his performance in the opening three rounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been pretty solid, really,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of birdies, a couple of mistakes here and there, but I\u2019m just disappointed with today\u2019s round not to press on a little bit more.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter yesterday, I gave myself a target of 20 under par, I thought eight under par for the weekend to reach that number. If I shoot five or six under par tomorrow, you never know what could happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got to keep doing what I\u2019m doing and giving myself chances, and hopefully I\u2019ll be in a good spot at the end of the day tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Albers started the day as one of four players three shots behind overnight leader Tarren and was pleased to make up ground on the Englishman, with an eagle on the first setting up a bogey free round on moving day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always nice to stay bogey free,\u201d he said. \u201cI hit some nice shots, and I\u2019m pleased with how it went.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy long game was very good, there was only two holes where I was out of position and I managed to recover from those, it was very solid overall.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confident with my game this week. I\u2019m just trying to keep that going into tomorrow and then see how it unfolds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t get the start I wanted on the Road to Mallorca, especially after coming close to getting my DP World Tour card. It was nice to have an off week last week and have a reset. There is just under half of the season and I\u2019m hoping to go and finish strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown has fond memories of Kaskada Golf Club, having won the 2024 edition of this week\u2019s event, and is feeling right at home this week, with just two dropped shots in round two and three combined.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll in all, I\u2019m very happy,\u201d he said. \u201cThe wind was a little different today which makes the par fives a little bit harder and the par fours a little bit easier in places.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to take more ownership of my game, instead of doing what the golf course tells you to.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the course. I don\u2019t think I can dwell too much on what I\u2019ve done before. It\u2019s nice knowing you\u2019ve done it before.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously everyone is trying to win, I\u2019m not too focused on that, I play best when I don\u2019t focus too much on that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I\u2019m standing on the 18th fairway tomorrow, you never know. It could be a good day\u201d<\/p>\n
The trio hold a one-stroke lead over Japan\u2019s Tatsunori Shogenji who occupies solo fourth on thirteen under par, two strokes ahead of Denmark\u2019s Kristan Hjort Bressum, America\u2019s Alex Goff, Italian Matteo Cristoni and Germany\u2019s Marc Hammer in fifth.<\/p>\n