Tight at the top in Sweden

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<p>Pedro Oriol fought hard to stay at the top of the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson leaderboard – a position he shares with Ross Kellett and Mikael Lundberg after 54 holes.</p>
<p>Pedro Oriol fought hard to stay at the top of the leaderboard at the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson – a position he shares with Ross Kellett and Mikael Lundberg after 54 holes.</p>
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<p>The Spaniard started the day which a two-shot lead after excellent scores of 64-68, but an early bogey at the second set the tone for what was to be an up and down round.</p>
<p>Birdies at the fourth and sixth were cancelled out by a double bogey at the ninth leaving the Road to Oman Number 15 with work to do after Scotland’s Kellett carded a sublime 64 to set the clubhouse target at 11 under.</p>
<p>A birdie at the 11th was immediately counteracted by a double bogey at the 12th as the 31 year old’s competitors made up ground around him.</p>
<p>Another gain at the 17th took Oriol back to 11 under, a total that was also matched by Sweden’s Lundberg after he signed for a 70.</p>
<p>Having led from the front all week, Oriol believes he has what it takes to get over the line tomorrow.</p>
<p>“I am in a good position,” said Oriol, who played alongside tournament host Karlsson in Katrineholm today.</p>
<p>“Today was definitely tougher. Tricky pin positions, tricky wind and I also made it a bit trickier after some mental mistakes on 12 and nine – that was expensive for me but fought until the end.</p>
<p>“I was looking at the scoreboard on 17 and I knew 11 under was leading – I was ten under – so I knew I had to do something.</p>
<p>“I made birdie there and made a good par at the last, and it was really important to finish well today.</p>
<p>“Tomorrow I will play with confidence, continue to believe in myself and see what I can do. I learnt a little bit today – and I’ll try and build on that experience tomorrow.</p>
<p>“Robert is such a nice guy and it was great to play alongside a multiple European Tour winner and Ryder Cup player today. It is amazing what he is doing for the Challenge Tour – we all have to thank him.”</p>
<p>One shot behind Oriol, Lundberg and Kellet are a group of players on ten under including Englishman Ryan Evans, who after making the cut on the number yesterday bagged eight birdies in a bogey-free 64 to rise up the leaderboard.</p>
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Also taking place at Katrineholms Golfklubb today was a ‘Beat The Pro’ Challenge – where two amateurs managed to go closer than the Challenge Tour professionals on the par three 12th hole.

The first to win was C More Golf television presenter Mats Hallberg – a former European Tour player turned commentator.

He put his effort to five feet on the 134-yard hole, while Rikard Fagerstr<em>ö</em>m – a member at Katrineholms Golfklubb who has a handicap of five – hit his tee shot to teen feet.

The prize for both men was an all-expenses-paid golf trip to Alicante in Spain – sponsored by Stockholm Skavsta Airport.