Ayora extends lead in Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final – Golf News

Angel Ayora will take a two-shot lead into the R&A-backed Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final weekend after posting a bogey-free seven-under par 65 at Club de Golf Alcanada.

The Spaniard, who entered the second round with a shot after his record 62 yesterday, carded seven birdies to move to 17 under at Alcúdia, two ahead of Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan who posted an eight under par 64.

The 20-year-old showed no signs of anger with a birdie at the first five, before two more at the fourth and seventh to move him to three under par.

He would get four overs on holes 10, 11, 13 and 15 to race to the lead before play was suspended due to a local lightning threat.

HE RETURNS TO THE EAGLE

Once the game started, Ayora worked his way up to the top of the leaderboard.

Ayora, who entered the week in sixth place in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, is expected to climb to the Number One spot and will become the third Spanish player to win the Challenge Tour Rankings following Carl Suneson in 1999 and Alvaro Velasco in 2010.

“I’m very happy,” she said. “I played very well like I did yesterday and I hope to continue to do the same this weekend.

“The hitting of the ball was important so that we don’t make mistakes. I had one situation on the 12th but made a great chip to save it.

“It’s amazing to be here in Spain, playing the last tournament of the Challenge Tour season.

It is very special. I tried to relax and play freely. My game is very good, so I feel like I can do that.

“You never know what can happen but I will always be patient and we will see what will happen.

I thought about winning the Rankings earlier in the week, because that’s what I want.

STRENGTHEN END

Rasmus is a very good player, and he could have a downer on Saturday or Sunday, but we’ll see what happens. He is a good player and it motivates me to play well.”

Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen entered the final in second place in the Rankings and sits in third place in the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final at 12 under par, while Finland’s Oliver Lindell is just behind in fourth.

Frenchman Martin Couvra shares fifth place with Denmark’s Nicolai Kristensen at nine under, while countryman Hamish Brown, Australian Hayden Hopewell and Swedish duo Niklas Lemke and Björn Åkesson share seventh at seven under.

The third round will start at 8:33am local time with Ayora in the final group alongside Reitan at 12:45pm.