Royal Cinque Ports’ Steven Tiley needed all the skills learned as a links player in Kent to cope with the wind in the third round of the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steven Tiley will take a three-shot lead into the final round of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge as he goes in search of his first European Challenge Tour title.

The Englishman, who is playing in his 11th season on the Challenge Tour, leads after 54-holes for the first time.

The Royal Cinque Ports player is in pole position to clinch his first title on tour after recording a two-under par round of 69, to stay in front in France.

Tiley began the third day with a three-shot advantage after opening rounds of 64 and 68, and continued his impressive form at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, where he finished runner-up to last year’s wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy.

A bogey on the third hole was the 36-year-old former England amateur international’s only blemish on the front nine as he made back-to-back birdies from the seventh hole to reach the turn at one-under.

A birdie on the par five 12th preserved his lead before he followed that up with three successive pars.

After a bogey on the 16th Tiley’s lead dropped to two strokes, however, he bounced back with his third birdie of the week on the 18th hole to sign for a round of 69 and maintain his three-shot advantage over the field.

With 18 holes left to play and a debut Challenge Tour win within touching distance, Tiley is trying to remain calm and concentrate on his game.

“The birdie on 18 could be crucial,” he said. “I’ve got to go out tomorrow and take care of my own business and not worry about anyone else and see if it’s good enough at the end.

“I’m excited for tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it,” said Tiley, who grew up playing on Kent’s three championship links courses that have hosted The Open – Prince’s, Royal St George’s and his home course in Deal.

“It was tough out there today,” Tiley added. “It was pretty windy, and it was tough playing with a lead. I held it together and got up-and-down when I needed to, so overall, pretty happy.

“I hit some loose shots at start but hit good shots on seven and eight to make birdies and made a good save on nine. I got a little bit nervous towards the end but managed to birdie the last after a good wedge shot.”

England’s Dave Coupland and Dutchman Darius van Driel, who clinched his first Challenge Tour win at the 2018 Euram Bank Open, sit in a share of second place, hoping to chase down Tiley, after recording rounds of 69 and 68, respectively.

Grégory Havret, a three-time European Tour winner, leads the charge on home soil following his 69, including a birdie-birdie finish to join another Kent player Matt Ford in a tie for fourth place on an eight-under total.

Also in the chasing pack is Hampshire’s former European Tour veteran Richard Bland, whose only victory in 23 years on Tour came in the Challenge Tour Grand Final back in 2001.

The final round will start at 7:20am local time with Tiley going in search of victory from 12:30pm. Follow lives scores here.

The post Tiley’s three-shot lead at Le Vaudreuil as he goes in search of maiden victory appeared first on Golf North.

Steven Tiley, from Kent’s Royal Cinque Ports, has never held a 36-hole lead in 11 years playing on the European Challenge Tour, but is three shots clear at the halfway point in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge where he was second a year ago. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steven Tiley leads by three shots at the halfway stage of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil.

The Englishman, who finished runner-up to last year’s wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy, followed up his opening round of 64 with a three-under par round of 68 to break away from the chasing pack at the end of day two.

Tiley has never led a European Challenge Tour event after two rounds after 11 seasons of trying.

But the 36-year-old showed why the Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil course is a favourite of his by recording a second sub-70 round for a 10-under total.

An early bogey on his second hole – the 11th – to begin the round did not phase him as he made six consecutive pars before holing a long birdie putt on the 18th.

Tiley then surged ahead after the turn, making gains on the third, fifth and seventh holes to extend his lead over the chasing pack to three strokes.

With 36 holes left to play and a debut Challenge Tour victory in sight, Tiley was pleased with his second round work at Le Vaudreuil.

“I played okay on my front nine – the back nine,” said Tiley. “The back nine is quite tricky and it’s a lot longer than last year and the wind was swirling a little bit this morning, but I played well.

“I holed a good putt for birdie on 18 from about 30 foot to go out level par,” added the Royal Cinque Ports member, who turned pro in 2007 after a golf scholarship at Georgia State University.

“On the first I made a really good up-and-down, then on the second I made an unbelievable par and that steadied the ship for a little bit.

“I made a couple of birdies coming in thanks to some good wedge shots, so overall, it’s a pleasing round.

“I think this course suits my game. I was hitting the ball relatively straight and keeping it in play, and because of that you get a lot of wedge shots, and I’m pretty useful with a wedge in my hand.

“I’ve been practising a little bit more on my strengths within my game leading up to this week and that has shown so far.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in contention going into the weekend, so I’m looking forward to it and I’ll see what I can do.”

Fellow overnight leader Robin Sciot-Siegrist dropped down the leaderboard after a two-over par 73, as a group of four players sit three shots behind Tiley.

English pair Dave Coupland and fellow Kent pro Matt Ford, South Africa’s Bryce Easton and Spain’s Santiago Tarrio Ben share second place on seven-under.

Three-time European Tour winner Grégory Havret, who won the European Amateur Championship 20 years ago, is one of four players a further stroke back as the three-time French Amateur Champion leads the host nation charge at the seventh edition of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge.

•The third round will begin at 7.40am local time on Saturday morning with Tiley teeing off at 12.50pm. Follow live scoring here

The post Tiley taking it one step at a time at top of leaderboard in Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge appeared first on Golf North.