Madeira Islands Open winner Peter Uihlein wasted little time chasing a second European Tour victory as The Irish Open continued at Carton House.
Sweden’s Oscar Floren had doubled his overnight lead when he resumed with birdies at the first and fourth, only to drop his first shots of the week on the next two holes.
A birdie on the 13th - the short par four he eagled yesterday after driving the green - took him to seven under par and one shot behind leaders José María Olazábal, American Uihlein and Raphaël Jacquelin.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Olazábal, who oversaw the 'Miracle at Medinah' last year, is 47 and has not won on The European Tour since 2005, but insisted on Thursday he was not simply keeping his game in shape before becoming eligible for the Senior Tour when he turns 50.
And he looked intent on proving that after following up an opening 68 with six birdies and two bogeys in his first 15 holes today took him alongside Uihlein, whose first European Tour win came at Clube de Golf do Santo
da
Serra last month, and Open
de
España champion Raphaël Jacquelin.
Jacquelin's group was certainly the one to be
following
with playing partners Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Robert Rock just a shot behind on seven under.
