Frenchman Nicolas Joakimides moved into the lead at the European Challenge Tour’s Open des Volcans Challenge de France after a third round of three under par 68 left him two shots clear of England’s Andrew Butterfield and Ilya Goroneskoul on 11 under par 202.
Playing in drizzling rain throughout the day, Joakimides went to the turn in level par 36 with three birdies, three pars and three dropped shots, but he eliminated the dropped shots on his way back to the clubhouse, coming home in three under 32 to take the outright lead at the Golf des Volcans.
Butterfield, who at the halfway stage after opening rounds of 68-65 could not repeat his low scoring of rounds one and two but kept himself well in contention with a level par 71 to lie just two shots off the pace.
Goroneskoul, meanwhile, conjured a brilliant 64 given the damp, soggy conditions in the Auvergne region of his homeland. Three under par for the day with five holes to play, the Frenchman finished magnificently with four birdies in those closing five holes to join Butterfield at the head of the chasing pack.
Two strokes behind the Butterfield and Goroneskoul lie Argentina’s Ariel Canete and Julien Xanthopoulos of France, who both carded third round scores of 69 to sit four behind Joakimides on seven under 206.
The leader is relishing the final 18 holes, and hopes to put the experience of wining on the Third Level Alps Tour – at the Open International Des Cotes d’Amour Bretagne – last month to good use as he tries to secure the first Challenge Tour title of his career in his native France.
“I think that 68 was a good score today considering the conditions,” said Joakimides after signing his third round scorecard. “It was very wet today and it felt like one of those uncomfortable days on the course when you are always putting up the umbrella and in and out of your waterproofs all day.
“The amount of water that was falling also had an effect on the greens. They were slower today and that made things a bit tougher. So, overall I am happy with that score today and I am in a great position going into the last round.
“It’s golf though and a lot can happen in those 18 holes tomorrow. My strategy will be much the same tomorrow. When I won the Alps Tour earlier in the season I had a two shot lead playing the last few holes and I managed that situation well.
“Hopefully I will be in the same position tomorrow although I think it will be tougher to win on the Challenge Tour because the competition is that bit stronger and there will be more players trying catch me.”
