Scottish golfer shares lead in battle for three DP World Tour appearances

Graeme Robertson shares the lead in the battle for three exciting DP World Tour starts later this year heading into the final round of The PGA Play-Offs in Cyprus.

The reigning Scottish PGA champion followed his opening 71 at Aphrodite Hills with a 70 to sit on one-under-par alongside James Freeman after the Englishman leapt up the leaderboard on the back of his 68.

The duo are two shots ahead of three players, including former winners Paul O’Hara and Niall Kearney, as well as Daniel Whitby-Smith after he signed for a 66, the best score of the event so far by two shots.

The winner after Friday’s final round will secure starts in the Betfred British Masters, Amgen Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, as well as getting into both the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge and Irish Challenge on the Hotel Planner Tour.

Graeme Robertson, pictured during last year’s Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship at Scotscraig, shares the lead in the PGA Play-Offs in Cyprus | Kenny Smith/Getty Images

Robertson, who topped last year’s Tartan Tour Order of Merit, picked up four birdies in six holes around the turn in the second circuit before giving two of those shots back at the 14th and 15th.

O’Hara, who landed his win in the event at Blairgowrie in 2021, made four birdies as he signed for a 71. Chris Maclean is joint-ninth on five over after his 72, with 2023 winner Craig Lee 12 shots off the lead following a 74.

Elsewhere, Connor Syme fared best among five Scots in the field as he carded a four-under 66 - three off the lead - in the opening round of the DP World Tour’s Joburg Open at Houghton Golf Club.

A second-round 75 for a four-over total, meanwhile, left Lorna McClymont, sitting nine shots off the pace heading into the closing circuit in the Sunshine Ladies Tour’s SunSport Ladies Challenge at Sun City.