The 29-year-old Argentine signed for a second round 66 at Al Mouj Golf to establish a one shot lead in the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final over Finland’s Oliver Lindell.

Goya, who won the European Tour’s 2009 Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal, started this week eight spots outside the top 15 on the Challenge Tour order-of-merit who earn  ticket to the 2018 European Tour.

He needed something special and has thus far delivered with eight birdies Thursday to go to -11 for the €420,000 season-ender. More importantly, he’s moved to third in the projected standings with just 36 holes of the  season-long Road to Oman to play.

Predicted Rankings after Day Two:

IN ? Lindell and Goya
OUT Dantorp and Sciot-Siegrist pic.twitter.com/oSg3tJBY4f

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) November 2, 2017

“You have to play really well to get yourself into the top 15 and I played really well today,” said Goya who won his third Challenge Tour title in Sweden in July.

“I’m in a good position and I still have a chance, so I’m just going to go out there and enjoy it this weekend. Al Mouj Golf is the best course we play on the Challenge Tour. It’s a good test and you have to play well, but if you play well it rewards you. It’s a great challenge for the week and is a brilliant location for our Grand Final.”

Lindell shot a 65, the lowest round of the tournament so far. The 18 year old is 41st in the Road to Oman rankings and in with a slim chance of progressing on to the European Tour in his maiden season at this level. But he’s still trending ahead of his own curve.

“Six years ago we made a plan for me to get into the European Tour by 2022 and I’ve nearly got there much sooner so that’s promising.”

The winning touch?

Scrambling like this has taken @LindellOliver to 9 under par and into a share of the #NBOGrandFinal lead ? pic.twitter.com/hUYqD4b9sS

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) November 2, 2017

Frenchman Clement Sordet, who is tied for third with compatriot Thomas Linard, produced the shot of the NBO Golf Classic when he aced the 8th hole.

“I actually didn’t see the ball when it landed but I saw some guys jumping around the green so that was the only way I realised it was in,” Sordet said.

How to take the lead of a golf tournament ?@ClementSordet‘s hole-in-one from the eighth hole, for your viewing pleasure! pic.twitter.com/4OS3xyIrkX

— Challenge Tour (@Challenge_Tour) November 2, 2017

Road to Oman leader Tapio Pulkkanen had a day to forget at Al Mouj which is set to host a full European event in February for the first time. The Finnish star shot an 11-over par 83 and is now dead last after Mikael Lundberg retired through injury.

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