Power leaves it late
Seamus Power made it through to the second stage of the PGA Tour Q-School with nothing to spare. Picture courtesy eGolfProfessionalTour.comSeamus Power birdied his penultimate hole to keep his PGA Tour dream alive by a whisker at the first stage of the Q-School in North Carolina.
The West Waterford star make a crucial birdie at the 17th at The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, closing with a one under 71 to make next month’s second stage on the five under par limit.
But there was no luck for Waterville’s Mark Murphy, who came up just two strokes shy after a brave final round 66 at Lake Caroline Golf Club in Mississippi.
The “Big Break Ireland” winner had four birdies in an immaculate round, finishing tied for 24th on one under as just 18 players progressed on three under par.
The former Irish international must now hope he can come through the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain next month.
“Shot 66 today in tough conditions,” Murphy wrote on Twitter. “Amazing game, absolutely striped it and putted great. I guess the man upstairs wants me to play in Europe.”
Dungannon’s Fergal Rafferty closed with a level par 72 to miss out by three strokes at Lantana Golf Club in Texas, where 22 players progressed on four under or better.
“One under for 72 holes won’t cut it at US Tour School,” tweeted the Carrickmore man, who won his first professional title on a mini tour in Texas in August. “Still been a good year on the links.”
Former professional soccer player Stephen Grant needed a miracle to progress in Florida and his dream ended when he opened with a quadruple bogey eight at Grasslands Golf and Country Club in Lakeland.
Suffering from a bad back since August, the 35-year old from Birr did well to card a two over 74 but finished 16 shots outside the qualifying places on four over.
Ballymena’s Chris Devlin also faced a major battle to qualify when he went into the final round at Dayton Valley Golf Club in Nevada seven shots outside the top 19 on three over.
However, like Murphy, he still has the stage two of European Q-School to fall back on next month.