Nathan Green and Dylan Perry couldn’t be separated after the third round of final stage of ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School and will head into the final round tied for the lead.

Playing together after co-leading overnight, Green and Perry each fired rounds of 1-under 71 to be 7-under the card after three days playing the open course at Moonah Links.

“It was a bit of a slow start. I was 1-over through nine holes and was doing just enough to get through the poor weather. But then I had a couple under on the back-9 so I am still in a good spot for tomorrow,” said Perry.

While Green felt like he ground out his round today; “My 71 was a bit of a struggle, Dylan’s 71 was pretty cruisey. I made some good birdies when I needed to, the ones on 9 and 10 to get back to 1-under were really solid.

“I had a couple of drives today that dipped back into bunkers which were probably just a metre away from being good. I am happy with it; I hung in there pretty well and it’s good to still be up there, I thought someone might have gone a bit lower today.”

At different stages of their career, Perry is looking to secure status on his home Tour for the first time after he turned professional at the NSW Open in November.

While Nathan Green, a former PGA TOUR winner, is looking to secure status to give him the opportunity to play tournament golf when he feels the competitive urge strike him.

However, both players have winning on their mind as they chase the ultimate goal, a tour card which will provide them a spot in all the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia biggest tournaments including the ISPS HANDA Vic Open, ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, Emirates Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship.

“Obviously it’s in the back of all our minds, I can’t say that I haven’t thought about it but I just have to keep my head down for another 18 holes. Hopefully I can put a good score on the board and it’s enough to get over the line,” added Perry.

While Green added, “I came down here hoping to get a card and if I didn’t it was no real issue, but I will still be nervous tomorrow, it’s good to be in this position. I haven’t been playing great golf the last few years, just playing part-time but today there were glimpses of how I used to play.

“I keep playing just in the off chance something sparks; I think nearly every golfer thinks their best golf is just around the corner.

“But I would love to be able to play really good golf again. I don’t think I would change my schedule too much, I would play all the big ones, but we will see what happens tomorrow.”

Sitting two shots behind the leading duo, on 5-under the card are Kade McBride and Taylor Macdonald after they had rounds of 68 and 69 respectively.

Rounding out the top-5 on 4-under the card are Aaron Townsend, who’s 66 was the low round of the day and James Anstiss who had 67.

The top-40 players following the final round will earn a card for the 2019 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia season. That number is currently sitting at 5-over the card.

Dylan Perry fired a superb 6-under 66 in very challenging conditions for the second round of the final stage of ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School presented by Cobra Puma Golf.

Melbourne turned on the weather it is synonymous with today as heavy rains soaked the open course at Moonah Links necessitating two lengthy delays in play which added to the pressure cooker Q-School environment.

However, Perry, remained calm as he reeled off seven birdies and a bogey on his way to shooting 6-under the card.

“It was an interesting day; we teed off at 8.40am and had only played five holes in five hours. There were a couple of rain delays with some interesting weather making it pretty difficult out there this morning,” said Perry.

“I was travelling well this morning and was 2-under before both the breaks. Then the weather was kind to us this afternoon, which is typical of Melbourne. So I am very stoked.”

Perry adding the highlight of his round was a birdie on the par-4 11^th, “I chipped in on my 11^th hole of the day. I didn’t hit a great shot in but then chipped in from the left side of the green. I guess it started some momentum for me towards the end of the back-9.”

Following a successful amateur career which was highlighted by a runner-up result at The British Amateur Championship in 2017, Perry took the plunge and turned professional at the NSW Open last month finishing third.

He then endured four stages of Qualifying School to secure status on the Japan Tour just last week before coming to Moonah Links hoping to do the same on his home Tour.

“I am very excited to get my career underway. I am just trying to keep building as a golfer and moving forward,” added Perry.

“I just got back from Japan after getting my card last week. It has been a busy few months but I am excited for next year.

“It’s good to know that I have a job for next year. It is pretty tough in Japan and I am only guaranteed five or six main Tour starts before the re-rank.

“Hopefully I can have a good week this week so I can play some big events in February and March in Australia before I head to Japan.”

Perry joins a wave of young Australian talent taking on the world which includes good mate and fellow Japan Tour pro Anthony Quayle, Brett Coletta who just earned Web.com Tour status, Lucas Herbert and Deyen Lawson who will play the European Tour in 2019 as well as Cameron Davis and Curtis Luck who will be PGA TOUR members for the first time next year.

While the rising stars are blazing a bright trail, Nathan Green, who has tread that path before them, is in a good position to claim status on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia after shooting 1-under 71 in round two to join Perry at the top of the leaderboard on 6-under 66.

“It was tough early. I didn’t play very well at all; especially in the middle of the round I hit it terribly. I made a few bogeys but I was able to birdie the last three holes once the conditions calmed down. I was happy to come home well,” said Green who will look to add some tournament golf to his coaching schedule in 2019.

“I saw that Dylan had 6-under today which is a great score, he is a great player. I will need to improve a bit if I am going to challenge him over the next two rounds.”

At 5-under the card, Martin Dive is third on the leaderboard after shooting 4-under 68 in the second round.

Rounding out the top-5 are Ruben Sondjaja and Dale Williamson.

The top-40 players following the four round final stage of qualifying school will earn cards for the 2019 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. That mark currently sits at 5-over the card.