Cutler heads home charge

Ireland’s Paul Cutler sits just one shot off the pace at the EuroPro Tour’s Audi Cork Irish Masters with plenty of Irishmen still in contention heading into today’s third and final round at Fota Island.

The top 50 and ties made it past yesterday’s cut and 62 golfers were set to tee it up on Fota’s par-71, 6,027-yard Deerpark course today, chasing joint leaders on four under par Rika Batibasaga of Australia, Welshman Stuart Manley and Scotland’s Elliot Saltman for the €12,500 first prize.

Manley shot one of the rounds of the day with a five-under 66 while Portstewart’s Cutler was the chief Irish hope at three under following an early one-under round of 70. Also within range are Ross Oliver of Carrickfergus at two under, with first-round leader Michael Collins slipping back to one under following a three-over 74, with Limerick GC’s Cian McNamara and Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell at level par.