Bizarre ball incident for Craig Howie in Challenge Tour Grand Final

Craig Howie shrugged off a bizarre incident as a spectator picked up the balls of all three players in his group to remain on course to join Ewen Ferguson in bolstering the Scottish ranks on the European Tour next season.

Craig Howie hits his tee shot on the second hole during day three of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by the R&A at T-Golf & Country Club in Mallorca. Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

Playing in the third round of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, Howie had just teed off at the second hole at T-Golf & Country Club in Mallorca with American Chase Hanna and German Marcel Schneider when the culprit pounced.

“I’ve never had that happen to me before,” said Peebles man Howie after signing for a level-par 71 in a howling wind to sit joint-12th on two-under, eight behind Swede Jesper Kenngard, in the concluding event in the season-long battle for top 20 cards on the top tour.

“I wasn’t even looking as I was talking to Darren (his brother/caddie) when I heard Chase screaming at the top of his voice after our balls had disappeared from the fairway.

Ewen Ferguson in action during the third round at T-Golf & Country Club in Mallorca. Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

“The guy didn’t speak English, so I had no idea what his excuse was, but I don’t know why he’s on a golf course if he thinks it’s okay to pick up a golf ball. We all actually birdied the hole, though, so he didn’t do any damage.”

Sixteenth in the standings at the start of the event, Howie was 19th at one point in the projected positions as the penultimate circuit unfolded before finding himself in 17th spot heading into the final round of the campaign.

“I am mega-frustrated as I feel it is an opportunity to shoot four or five-under and I certainly felt I hit the shots to do that,” he declared, a majestic low 4-iron into the wind from just over 200 yards to four feet at the tough 10th being the pick of those.

“But I’m pleased with how I have played the last two days. If I can do the same tomorrow, there’s no reason why I can’t push towards the top of the leaderboard and still have a chance of winning.

“I’m going to need a low score tomorrow, but I feel as though I am playing well enough to do that.”

Ferguson, who was sixth in the rankings at the start of the week, is now ninth, having also signed for a 71 to sit joint-22nd on level-par.

“I played well all day, the best I’ve played so far, especially in that wind as it was tough out there,” said the 25-year-old Glaswegian.

His step up was effectively secured coming into this event, but the higher he can finish in the rankings the better, especially when it comes to the bigger tournaments on the European Tour.

“I could easily have shot five-over if I’d allowed myself to get angry,” added the former British and Scottish Boys’ champion, having endured a third successive day when his putts refused to drop.

“The rest of my game is there, but I am holing no long putts at all, which is a bit disheartening, but I will keep trying to give myself chances and hopefully tomorrow will be the day when they finally start to drop,” he added.

Kennegard, who started the event sitting in 40th spot, is up to fifth after carding a 67 - he was home in four-under 32 - to lead by a shot from Dane Marcus Helligkilde (68).

Helligkilde tops the projected standings from Spaniard Santiago Tarrio and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouevia, with Dutchman Daan Huizing and England’s Andrew Wilson both in danger of being squeezed out of the card positions.

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