A SUPERB round of 65 from Jason Kelly has seen him move a shot clear after the second round of The PokerMillion.Com Championship at Collingtree Park.
The ISM/Wentworth golfer went into the second day of the tournament four shots behind the overnight leaders after carding a 73 on Wednesday.
But he produced some brilliant play to card a seven-under-par 65 and put himself a stroke clear of six other players going into Friday’s final round.
Kelly’s round is a new course record for Collingtree Park, surpassing the previous best of 63, which was hit by Darren Clarke in the 1996 British Masters before the course was extended.
“I played a lot better today!” admitted Kelly, who could be in line for a £1000 bonus from sponsors PokerMillion.Com for the lowest round of the tournament.
“I hit the ball more solidly and holed my putts better.
“It will be a new experience for me going into the final day at the front, and it will be a learning curve if nothing else.
“But that’s what we’re here for, to learn, and hopefully I can build on this.”
Daniel Gaunt, Robert Rock and Daniel Wardrop all shot four-under-par rounds of 68 on Thursday to move out to -5, along with Robert McGuirk and Ben St John, who followed opened rounds of 69 with a 70. Zane Scotland joined them on -5 with an outstanding 67, while Mark Smith, Graham Rankin and Graham Fox all sit a further shot back on -4.
Danny Poulter – the brother of Ryder Cup star Ian – hit a 67 on Thursday to join Richard Squire and Paul Bagshaw on -3 going into the final day.
A quirk of the draw means that the final round will see two pairs of best friends and room-mates playing together, with Scottish duo Rankin and Fox heading out together and St John partnering his Woodcote Park stable-mate Scotland.
Full scores can be found by clicking the Score Updates link to the right.