Kieran Cantley has victory in sights heading into final round of Scottish Challenge

Kieran Cantley has his sights on keeping the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge title on home soil despite trailing Swiss Jeremy Freiburghaus by five shots heading into the final round at Newmachar.

Bidding to emulate David Law after his title triumph in the event’s last staging at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore in 2018, Cantley stepped up his challenge with a three-under 68 in the penultimate circuit to sit fourth.

On the back of a best-of-the-day 64, Freiburghaus could be hard to catch in a tournament being supported by the R&A, but Edinburgh man Cantley is excited to be in the mix.

“Definitely,” he replied to being asked if he felt he could come out on top. “There’s no reason why I can’t win tomorrow. I just need to keep doing what I am doing.”

Kieran Cantley in action during the third round of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Newmachar. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images.

Craig Lee had started the day in a tie for the lead, but, after the tone for his round was set by a poor start, the 45-year-old dropped out of contention with a 78.

In contrast, it was a solid day’s work from Cantley, who is playing in the second of eight starts he’s secured on the Challenge Tour this season as the 2021 Tartan Pro Tour Order of Merit winner.

“I felt like I played pretty well today,” said the 24-year-old, who played his amateur golf at Liberton. “I’ve hit a lot of quality shots today and, to be fair, I could have been a bit better. I missed a few short putts here and there, but my ball-striking today was tremendous so I can’t really grumble with a three-under.”

Freiburghaus, a 25-year-old who is also chasing a maiden win on the second-tier circuit, moved into pole position on the back of a brilliant bogey-free effort that was sparked by three straight bogeys.

“Last week I was struggling in the wind,” he said of the Spanish Challenge being played in similar testing conditions at Novo Sancti Petri in Cadiz, “but today my long game and short game was really on point.”

On holding a four-shot lead heading into the final day, he added: “I will focus on myself and try not to beat myself.”

Calum Fyfe (70) sits joint-tenth, with Sam Locke (69) and Daniel Young (70) both just outside the top 20.