Penge leads Challenge with Purcell just two behind
FOURTH PLACE: Portmarnock's Conor Purcell still has two holes of the first round left to play is in fourth place on one under power. Pic: Octavio Passos/Getty Images
Marco Penge battled through the weather conditions at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final to post a three under par 69 before the first round was suspended due to strong winds at the Club de Golf Alcanada.
The Englishman hit two birdies on the front nine making the turn two under par before four birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey leaving him in pole position one shot ahead of Zimbabwe's Benjamin Follett-Smith and Frenchman Tom Valliant who both have two holes to play of the first round.
25-year-old Penge was one of four players to end the day under par as winds of up to 45 miles per hour made conditions difficult to score in.
Penge would move from his current 24th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings into second and secure DP World Tour playing privilages in 2024 should he win this weeks tournament.
Portmarnock's Conor Purcell still has two holes of the first round left to play is in fourth place on one under power while South African JJ Senekal, Italians Lorenzo Scalise and Francesco Laporta, Germany's Max Rottluff and Swenden's Jesper Svensson share fifth spot on level par.
Svensson is projected to finish top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings while Scalise could climb three places into third if he maintains his position on the leaderboard.
The conclusion of the first round will start at 8am local time on Friday with the second round beginning no earlier than 10am.
