Q-School disaster for Devlin as Murphy makes solid start

Chris Devlin crashed to a nightmare 82 on his home track as Waterville’s Mark Murphy opened with a level par 72 at the Second Stage of the PGA Tour Q-School.

Florida-based Devlin was playing at Hombre Golf Club in his adopted home town of Panama City. But his bid to make next month’s final stage ended before it got started as he made a quadruple bogey eight at his seventh hole of the day (the 16th) and ballooned to eight over before racking up a triple bogey seven just two holes from home.

At 11 over par, Devlin is tied for last place and a daunting 11 shots outside the top 19 and ties who will qualify for the final stage of the qualifying school next month.

Guy Boros, the son of three-time major winner Julius, hit a seven under 64 to lead by four shots from South Korea’s Seong Ho Lee. Former Masters Tournament runner-up Len Mattiace (70) tied for eighth and Aussie Peter Lonard (71) one of nine players tied for 13th place while 2006 US Ryder Cup player Brett Wetterich (72) is just outside the qualifying places.

Kerryman Murphy was in action at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. And while the former Irish amateur international will be disappointed to have dropped shots at the 14th and 16th, his level par effort left him tied for 43rd with the likes of Jay Haas Jnr, just two shots outside the top 20 and ties who will progress.

For the record, Fielding Brewbaker leads by one after a 66 with European Tour regular Pablo Martin (68) tied for fourth with countryman Alfredo Garcia-Heredia.

Former Open champion Todd Hamilton carded a 69 while other well-known names taking part include Rod Pampling (71), Carlos Franco (73) and Nick Flanagan (73).