Chris Wood weathered a much sterner test at Troia Golf Course on Friday to maintain his commanding lead after two rounds of the MENA Golf Tour Q School in Portugal.
The former Ryder Cup star followed his opening six-under 66 with an even-par 72 in tough coastal winds to remain six under par overall and four shots clear ahead of Saturday’s final round, where Tour cards and category status for the 2025–26 season will be decided.
Troia showed its teeth throughout the day, with strong gusts, narrow fairways and firm, compact greens punishing anything less than fully committed shots. Wood experienced that first-hand during a rollercoaster second round.
Steady the ship
After early bogeys at the third and sixth holes, he steadied himself with a crucial birdie at the ninth to turn in 37. The back nine brought fresh drama as he double-bogeyed the 10th and dropped another shot at the 11th, briefly allowing the chasing pack back into the contest.
But the three-time DP World Tour winner responded like a seasoned champion.
Shot of the day
A birdie at the 12th settled him, before producing the moment of the day at the par-five 14th. From 242 yards, slightly right of the fairway, Wood launched a magnificent four-iron over a tree, landing the ball inside four feet for a momentum-shifting eagle.
He followed that with another birdie at the 16th and closed with pars at 17 and 18 to preserve his four-shot advantage.
“I thought the course really showed its teeth today,” said Wood. “The fairways are narrow, the greens are small, and in this wind you’ve got to commit fully to every shot.”
Scotland’s Sebastian Sandin moved into outright second place at two under after a composed two-under-par 70, highlighted by eagles at both the first and seventh holes.
A group of five players share third place at level par. England’s Will Porter led that chasing group after firing the round of the day — a three-under 69 — built around four consecutive birdies from the sixth to ninth holes. He is joined on even par by Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo, Ireland’s Jack Madden, England’s Will Marshall and Germany’s Max Schmitt.
With MENA Golf Tour cards on the line and reputations at stake, Troia is set for a dramatic final day as players battle for their place on a tour that has helped launch the careers of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre and Thriston Lawrence.
