Royal County Down’s Simon Thornton is just two shots behind leader John Parry entering the final round of the PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School final at Frilford Heath in Oxford.

Thornton won last week’s first stage qualifier at Forest Pines in Lincolnshire and followed his 69 yesterday with 68 to get to five-under.

Limerick’s Tim Rice and Killarney’s Danny Sugrue made the cut with ease on two over par with Greg Bowden, Stephen Grant, Mark O’Sullivan, Brendan McDermott and Paul McDonald also qualifying.

But there was disappointment for former Walker Cup ace Noel Fox, who crashed to a second round 78 to miss the cut by a stroke on nine over.

Ulsterman Richard Kilpatrick failed to make a birdie in two days as he missed out by two shots.

PGA Europro Tour
FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Frilford Heath
1 135 -7 John Parry (ENG) Harrogate GC 69 66
2 137 -5 Simon Thornton (IRE) Royal County Down 68 69
3 138 -4 Jamie Moul (ENG) Stoke by Nayland 67 71
4 139 -3 Paul Maddy (ENG) Gog Magog 73 66
T17 144 +2 Tim Rice (IRE) Limerick 73 71; Daniel Sugrue (IRE) Ireland 72 72
T29 145 +3 Gregory Bowden (IRE) Hermitage Golf Club 72 73
T51 147 +5 Stephen Grant (IRE) Grant Engineering 72 75
T88 149 +7 Mark O'Sullivan (IRE) Galway 77 72
T111 150 +8 Brendan McDermott (IRE) Castle Comer 72 78; Paul McDonald (IRE) Team Ireland 74 76;

CUT
T127 151 +9 Noel Fox (Ire) MMI 73 78;
T139 152 +10 Richard Kilpatrick (NIR) Banbridge 75 77
T156 153 +11 Keith Coveney (IRE) 73 80;
T170 154 +12 Shane Franklin (IRE) 72 82; Padraig Dooley (IRE) Cork Golf Club 75 79; Michael Lavelle (AM) (IRE) The K Club 73 81;
T194 156 +14 John McDermot (IRE) Stackstown 76 80;
T205 157 +15 Patrick Devine (IRE) Royal Dublin GC 79 78;
T220 159 +17 William Noble (IRE) Co Cavan GC 80 79;
T229 163 +21 David Lovett (IRE) European Club 82 81;