Doherty leads Kingspan Concra Wood Open

Paul Doherty shot a second-round 70 to take a one-stroke advantage into the final round of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open.

The Scotsman moved to five-under after 36 holes of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event, while Marcus Armitage (Howley Hall GC) remained in sight, just one off the pace, after shooting the day’s best score, a five-under 67.

William Harrold is joined by last year’s Kingspan Concra Wood Open winner Billy Hemstock and Limerick’s Tim Rice on three-under in a tie for third.

Doherty (Vale Hotel) had shared the lead with Colm Moriarty (Glasson Hotel and Golf Club) on three-under-par following Wednesday’s first round, but the Irishman shot a four-over 76 on day two and is now tied 19^th.

After a one-hour delay due to fog, joint overnight leader Doherty teed off on the tenth tee but bogeyed the 14^th to drop to two-under.

Back-to-back birdies on the 16^th and 17^th saw him take his second-round card below par and a four on the par-five first had him at five-under, although that was short-lived when his second bogey of the round came on the following hole.

However, Doherty found one more par breaker on the seventh and his clubhouse lead was never taken.

His closest challenger at the start of Friday’s final round will be Armitage. The Englishman is playing his first 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event of the main season after finishing tied 33^rd at Qualifying School.

He went into the second round one-over but quickly found form, making five birdies before the turn. A bogey at the second, having started on the tenth, was only a brief setback before a sixth birdie of the round was recorded on the fourth.

Hemstock (Teignmouth Golf Club), carded a one-under 71 on day two and is just two strokes behind Doherty as he looks to defend the title he won by play-off at Concra Wood last year.

Two birdies on his last three holes took Rice to three-under, while Harrold (Sheringham Golf Club) fired a second-round 70 to manoeuvre himself into a tie for third.