Champions Tour struggle for Walton

Philip Walton. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie.

Philip Walton has work to do over the next two days if he is to qualify for next month’s final stage of the Champions Tour Q-School.

The 1995 Ryder Cup winner added a second round 76 to his opening 72 in the Regional Qualifier at Woodforest Golf Club in Texas to slip to tied 32nd in the 66-man field on 146.

The exact number of players to advance to the final stage was unavailable at the time of writing but Walton knows he is at least two shots outside the probable qualifying mark - the top 21 and ties advanced last season.

The Dubliner is 13 strokes adrift of pace-setter Barry Lane (69-66), who holds a three stroke lead over a group of five players that includes Spaniard Miguel Martin.

Still in Texas, Ulsterman Fergal Rafferty shot a three under 69 at the first stage of the PGA Tour Q-School qualifier at Lantana Golf Club to creep inside the top 23 and ties who qualify for stage two.

The Dungannon man, who opened with a 74, is tied for 20th on one-under and seven strokes behind leader James Sachek.