Home favourite Lauri Ruuska will take a two-shot into the final round of the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge as he goes in search of his maiden European Challenge Tour title.
Ruuska, who became just the fourth player in Challenge Tour history to shoot a round of 59 or better on Thursday, recorded a seven under par round of 64 on Saturday to move into pole position for the title.
The Finn has never won on the Challenge Tour but is on course to become only the second homegrown player to clinch the title at Vierumäki Resort after Kim Koivu celebrated victory in 2018.
With victory in sight following a history making week, Ruuska is focussed on getting the job done in a final round shootout against Jack McDonald, who is just two shots behind in second.
“I’m really pleased. It was a good round of golf today,” he said.
“I really enjoyed every moment of it, especially with quite a few spectators following our group. I hit a lot of good iron shots today and made some good putts, so overall the game was really good again. I actually felt better about my game today than I did when I shot the 59. Somehow every putt went in on that day but today felt like a better all-round performance.
“An eagle is always a bonus. I tried playing into the centre of the green on 12, but it happened to take the slope and fed down to the left and went pretty close to the hole. I have a pretty good gameplan for this course, so I’ve been following that pretty well this week.
“Jack played pretty good as well today. He’s a really steady golfer. He doesn’t make too many mistakes so I can’t afford to make too many mistakes tomorrow. We were actually sat next to each other on the plane over here and now we’re in the final group together.”
He began his third round with a birdie and closed out his front nine birdie, par, birdie, birdie to move ahead of overnight leader McDonald after starting his round a shot behind the Scot.
The lead was extended in impressive fashion with an eagle at the par five 12th hole before back-to-back birdies at the following two holes.
Even with a first bogey of the day at the 15th, Ruuska responded in style with a near hole-in-one at the 17th, tapping in for birdie before tree trouble down the last resulted in a final hole bogey.
McDonald fired a bogey-free round of 67 to remain within touching distance of Ruuska, and the pair will be joined in Sunday’s final group by Czech Republic’s Filip Mruzek after he signed for a round of 68.
Mruzek sits seven shots off the lead in third place, with Sébastien Gros of France and South African Dylan Naidoo a further stroke behind on 12 under par in a tie for fourth.
The final round begins at 07:16 local time with Ruuska, McDonald and Mruzek teeing off at 11:10 in Finland.
