Every time you tee-up you want to win. This is a great old tournament and one that I’d love to win.
- Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) - PGA Professional
A trio of brides over his first 10 holes had Fox riding high but back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 halted his advance. The former European Tour campaigner rallied, however, and made a birdie on the 14th before knocking a 5-iron to within a foot of the pin on the last to finish with a flourish.
“Anything more than a foot and I would’ve been worrying with a putt,” added Fox with a self-deprecating chuckle. “It was a good day. It was firm and fast and you could scuttle it along for miles. It was a great test that required concentration and patience.
“Every time you tee-up you want to win. This is a great old tournament and one that I’d love to win.”
O’Hara, fresh from victory in the Balmore Order of Merit 36-holer last week, picked up a late birdie at the 17th in a one-under 70 as the 2017 and 2021 Northern Oprn champion found himself at the sharp end again.
He was joined on that mark by Englishman Jordan, who picked up birdies at the first and second, gave them back with bogeys at three and six but dipped under-par again with another gain on the 17th.
Welshman Gareth Wright had mounted an early offensive on the summit with an eagle on the second and birdies at the fourth and sixth.
The 2018 Northern Open champion came unstuck, though, with bogeys at eight, 13, 16 and a double-bogey on the last in a one-over 72.
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