Les Mielles is a demanding golf course in calm conditions, but with the severe winds it was obvious that many disasters would be lurking on the links.
Glen Haynes, who was within one shot of overnight leader Paul Simpson, had a disastrous 81 to slide well down the leader board as did Ian Mitchell who followed his opening day 69 with a 78.
Simpson was then to suffer in the trying conditions when, with a double bogey at the first and a triple at the par-3 sixth, he stood at five over on the seventh tee.
It was a tribute to his nerve, ability and concentration that Simpson played the remaining 12 holes in one-under-par to return a 74 and a two-round total of 139.
Also on 139, in joint second place, were last year’s winner Hogan Stott and Gavin Lingard, one shot ahead of David Osborn.
The round of the day was to be that of Grant Willman who produced some incredible shot-making in a round of 69 which contained six birdies and three bogeys.
Just a single five on his card, with the remaining 17 all played in four or better.
Willman was the only player to better par and to do it by three strokes was quite a performance.
Going into the final round today, the title is wide open with just four shots covering the leading ten players all competing for a winners cheque of £2,000 and a spot at Wentworth in the PGA Championship in May 2005.
The 36 team Pro-Am event turned into a two-horse race between ‘The Red Hot Woods’ and ‘Harry’s Akers’ with the former winning by a single shot.
Nick Plain, Sue Evans and Sarah McCall finished on -26 (-15 and -11), leaving Harry’s Akers’ Eddie Burns, Nick Harrison and Kevin Munster runners-up with -25 (-10 and -15).
