Walton needs big round to avoid another school failure
Having survived the 72-hole cut with nothing to spare, the 41-year-old added a 68, but moved up only from 71st to 62nd.
"The scoring is unreal," he said.
"I'm nine under, and I'm not even at the races."
Ireland's other contender, Damien McGrane, has no such worries. He is comfortably perched near the top, just six shots behind leader Richard McEvoy.
With his golfing future on the line England's David Dixon had the chance to do something every golfer dreams about yesterday shoot a round of 59. In the penultimate round, however, Dixon went to the turn in a seven under 29, then added three more birdies and stood on the final fairway knowing he had to hole a 120-yard pitch to break 60.
He said: "I was thinking of it, but then I said 'just get it over the water, you clown'."
He put it over the green before making a nine-foot putt for a 61 that moved him up from joint 46th to eighth. The leading 35 today earn cards for next season.
Dixon is therefore back on course to rescue a rookie season that after the promise of a 10th-place finish at the Benson & Hedges International at The Belfry in May turned rotten with only one cut made in his last 15 starts. He finished 158th on the Order of Merit.
At 19 under par, he is five behind new leader Richard McEvoy, the English golfer having seven birdies in his last 11 holes for a 63.
McEvoy was a member of the Walker Cup side that won in America two years ago and another of them, Scot Steven O'Hara, is joint second on 22 under following a 67.
They are both trying to join team-mates Graeme McDowell, Nick Dougherty, Luke Donald and Jamie Elson on the circuit next year.
David Carter, who five years ago was Nick Faldo's partner as England won the World Cup, eagled the long 18th for the second day running and is joint 25th on 15 under.
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