Spare a thought for Shaun Donnelly as disaster struck him at the last hole in the PGA Ulster Grand Prix at Ardglass.
The Castle Hume professional lost a ball off the 18th tee and, after running up bogey five, had to share top of the leaderboard with Ricky Whitford and Gary Wardlow, who were the early leaders on level par 36 points.
However, Donnelly's share of the spoils puts him in a commanding position as leader of the Order of Merit, after three rounds.
Knock professional Whitford was first to set the pace in the wet and windy conditions, despite the fact that he three-stabbed three of the short holes - third, ninth and 11th - for bogey fours. He offset the setbacks with an up-and-down for birdie at the long eighth, a 15 foot birdie putt for a four at the 14th and an up-and-down, from 20 yards, at the last.
Wardlow was the steadiest of all as he pencilled in 15 pars, two bogeys and an eagle. The Dunmurry man was short at the par three second hole and wedged over the green at 13, failing to make par both times. The golden eagle then arrived at the long 14th where he reached the green with a drive and eight iron before rolling in a 15-footer.
Five birdies and five bogeys decorated Donnelly's card. The former Ballycastle hurler drove the front edge of the green at the par four third hole and chipped and putted for a three. He was on with a drive and seven iron at the long eighth before getting down in two putts and he slotted in a 20-footer for birdie three at the 12th.
A drive and wedge to eight feet at 15 gave Donnelly another birdie three and he rifled a nine iron to 15 feet and slotted that one home at the short 17th for birdie two.
Then disaster struck at the 18th. With his second ball he was 40 yards short of the green before pitching to eight inches to run up bogey five.
Still, Donnelly has a big lead in the Order of Merit. He is on 413 points with Ricky Whitford next on 328 and David Hughes (Massereene) third on 300.
The Trainees' List is led by Paul Vaughan (Ardglass) on 260, Michael Hutchinson (Lisburn) is on 205 and Gareth McCausland (Ballyliffin) is third on 185.