Back to the drawing board for Irish duo

Hombre Golf Club, Florida.Chris Devlin and Fergal Rafferty were reflecting on what might have been after failing to come through the Second Stage of the PGA Tour Q-School in Florida.

The Ulstermen finished 10 shots outside the qualifying marks for the final stage at the end of the month and must now plan ahead for the 2012 campaign and another shot at PGA Tour glory.

Ballymena native Devlin finished tied 39th on eight over par 292 at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City after rounds of 71, 73, 76 and 72 as veteran Tommy Armour topped the 23 qualifiers by three shots on eight under 276.

He told his Twitter followers: “1 over 72 today. Really disappointed in the mistakes I made this week. Misjudged the wind so many times and course punished me severely.”

Devlin at least has one more chance to turn 2011 into the best season of his career having already qualified for Stage Two of the European Tour Q-School in Spain next month.

“I still have a tremendous opportunity ahead of me, so I’ll be up for it,” he said.

Houston-based Rafferty finished tied for 60th at Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club near Fort Lauderdale after rounds of 74, 67, 72 and 73 left him on two-over 286.

“73 today, still an enjoyable week but no cigar,” he wrote on Twitter. “Season over for the the most part, where did the yr go. Time to work hard #offseason #2012.”

Rafferty wasn’t the only disappointed player at the Fort Lauderdale venue. Notah Begay, Tiger Woods’ close friend, missed out by a shot despite closign with a six under 65.

West Waterford’s Seamus Power failed to qualify by a single shot in Texas on Friday when he carded a three over 75 in the final round to go from tied seventh overnight to 25th.