Five dropped shots in the last two holes have seen Matt Wallace’s hopes of a high finish at the Rocco Forte Open end after the third round in Sicily.

Having fallen the right side of the cut line on five-under-par at the midway stage, the Moor Park Golf Club professional would have been looking to climb up the leaderboard at Verdura Golf Club.

Although the 27-year-old newly-crowned Open de Portugal champion was unable to make significant inroads, an even-par round of 71 would have represented a good total on a day when there have been many more over-par totals scored than under-par due to gusting winds.

And Wallace was on track for a 71 after he’d played the 16th, but a six-seven-finish on the two closing par fours saw him finish on five-over and drop back to even-par for the tournament.

The Pinner resident hadn't dropped a shot in his first 36 holes but that quickly changed on the first as he made a bogey five. However, birdies on the par four fourth and par five ninth saw him move to six-under for the tournament.

A second bogey of the round at the par four 11th saw Wallace drop back to five-under, but it was the costly finish that has left him in a share of 64th place at the time of writing.

Wallace won a historic six times on the Alps Tour last year to secure his Challenge Tour card, but he now has full European Tour playing rights for the remainder of the 2017 season after his victory in Portugal.