Matt Wallace’s hopes of making it back-to-back high finishes on the Challenge Tour have been dealt a blow after he was unable to build on his six-under-par second round of 66 at the Turkish Airlines Challenge.

Having started the third round within five shots of the lead, the Moor Park Golf Club professional has slipped down the leaderboard at Gloria Golf Club after carding a one-over-par 73 to leave him on seven-under for the tournament.

The 26-year-old, who finished in a share of third at the first Challenge Tour event of 2017 - the Kenya Open - last month, recovered from dropping a shot at the par five fifth with birdies on the par four seventh and par five ninth to move to the turn on nine-under.

The Pinner-based player had played holes 10 to 18 in five-under in his second round, but he experienced the other side of the coin today with dropped shots at the par four 14th and par five 18th.

Wallace had dropped to share of 47th place by the end of the third round, 13 shots behind leader Ryan Evans, who is two clear of his nearest challenger.