Marco Penge and Tom Vaillant will share a three-stroke lead heading into the weekend of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A after both posted four under par rounds of 68 on day two at Club de Golf Alcanada.
Englishman Penge, who came into this week in 24th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, made the turn at level par before bursting into life on the back nine with five birdies and a solitary bogey to reach seven under par for the week.
Frenchman Vaillant, playing in his first full season on the Challenge Tour, made two birdies and one bogey on the way out before three birdies in his final six holes, including one at the last, saw him tie the lead with Penge.
Penge is projected to climb 18 places into sixth on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, while Vaillant would climb 23 places into tenth. The top 21 on the Rankings at the conclusion of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final will earn DP World Tour playing privileges for 2024.
France’s Frederic Lacroix posted the low round of the day - a sensational seven under par 65 - to move into third position on four under par. He is projected to climb 11 places into 14th position on the Rankings and secure a return to the DP World Tour.
Italian Andrea Pavan posted a five under par round of 67 to move into fourth place on three under par and he is projected to finish the season on top of the Rankings. A win this week would see him become the first man to win the Challenge Tour Rankings on two separate occasions.
German Max Rottluff, American Julian Suri and Irishman Conor Purcell are two shots further back in fifth place on one under par.
The third round of the season finale will get under way at 8:00am local time, with Penge teeing it up in the final group alongside Vaillant and Lacroix at 9:24am.
Player quotes
Marco Penge: “I’m over the moon with the first two rounds. Conditions have been so tough, and I’m pleased with my performance round here. My game over the last few weeks hasn’t been in the best place but I believe playing in the wind has helped me out because the swing doesn’t have to be perfect technically it is more about being creative.
“My aim at the start of the year was to finish in the top 20 on the Rankings and if that was to happen it would be amazing. I’m focussing on getting better with each season and whatever will be will be. I still believe I have a long journey ahead of me but I’m happy with how things are going.
“I can’t hit driver much on the front nine because I run out of fairway so the plan was to hit irons into position and then on the back nine, I can be a bit more aggressive. I’m going to focus on hitting fairways, greens and hopefully I can hole a few more putts over the weekend.”
Tom Vaillant: “I’m very happy with my round today. I kept fighting all day long tried to create as many opportunities for birdies as I could. I had to manage myself around the course and thankfully I am in a strong position heading into the weekend.
“It was great to finish with a birdie on the last and it’s important to keep the momentum going. It’s tight at the top of the leaderboard but I enjoy the pressure.
“I have played in the final group on a couple of occasions this season and I have really enjoyed it. I also know how to win because I won twice on the Alps Tour last year. I’m going to concentrate on my job and see where I finish at the end of the week.”
Frederic Lacroix: “I’m very pleased with my performance today. It’s always nice to shoot seven under par. I had to keep the ball in play and stay in the fairway as much as possible.
“The front nine is tricky because the wind swirls and it is difficult to judge your distances and hit the right club. There are birdies out there, but you have to commit to your shots.
“The wind wants to push the ball away even on the way down, so you have to be very careful not to put yourself on the wrong side of the hole. It’s all about remaining patient for the full 18 holes.
“There are still two rounds to play but it’s always good to be towards the top of the leaderboard and hopefully I can keep it going over the weekend.”
Andrea Pavan: “The wind really got me yesterday, but it was tough for everyone. Not that it’s not windy today, but this morning I had to finish four holes and made three birdies which gave me a little boost. I had a really good start again and felt like I was right back in the tournament so that kept me going.
“I know what I have to do this week in order to win the Rankings. I’ve done it in the past, but the main objective this year was to get back on the DP World Tour so anything else that comes with me playing well here is a bonus.
“I know that if I win the event, I’ll end up winning the Rankings, but there’s still two rounds to go, a lot of golf to play and I’m just going to take it as I have done the first two days. It’s going to be windy again tomorrow so it’s going to be tough and hopefully I can keep playing well and scoring well.
“I know it’s going to be tough, there are guys playing for their card, so it’s even tougher for them, but for me this this week is a bit of a bonus. I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as I can. I still want to do well as I have expectations of myself. Every time I tee it up I want to do well. I just hope to be there on Sunday with a chance.”
