O'Hagan digs deep at Senior Q-School

Peter O’Hagan is still in with a chance of winning his European Senior Tour cardNewry’s Peter O’Hagan fired five birdies in a two under par 69 to keep his hopes of winning a European Senior Tour card alive on the second day of the Qualifying School Final in Portugal.

The 56-year old former head professional at The K Club moved up 31 places to joint 14th on one over par, just four shots outside the top six who will win full playing rights and still well placed to take one of eight conditional cards. Scores

Level par to the turn after following birdies at the 11th and 12th with bogeys at the 13th on Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta course, the former Irish Assistants and Irish Club Professional champion came home in two under by following a birdie at the fourth and bogey at the sixth with a birdie-birdie finish.

There will be a cut after the third day’s play, leaving any players within eight strokes of the lead to battle it out in the final round for the six full and eight conditional cards available.

But while O’Hagan is exactly eight shots off the lead, Claremorris’s Jimmy Heggarty looks certain to miss the third round cut after a second round 76 left him tied for 64th and 16 shots behind pace-setter Graeme Bell.

The 49 year old Englishman took a significant step towards claiming his card with a five under 66 giving him a three shot lead over compatriots Simon Brown and Wraith Grant, Swede Peter Dahlberg and American Robert Thompson.

England’s Graeme Bell leads the Senior Q-School at halfway. Picture courtesy of Phil Inglis PhotographyScores after 36 holes

135 G Bell (Eng) 69 66,

138 R Thompson (USA) 69 69, S Brown (Eng) 67 71, W Grant (Eng) 70 68, P Dahlberg (Swe) 69 69,

139 J Mathews (Eng) 70 69,

<<Top 6>>

140 C Haynes (Eng) 71 69, R Masters (Eng) 69 71, D James (Sco) 73 67,

141 J Buendia (Esp) 74 67, J Carriles (Esp) 70 71,

142 S Cipa (Eng) 70 72, J Anderson (USA) 70 72,

143 J Sallat (Fra) 72 71, D Westermark (Swe) 71 72, P Jonas (Can) 73 70, J Laforce (Can) 72 71, M Moreno (Esp) 74 69, R Sabarros (Fra) 71 72, E Rodriguez (Esp) 72 71, P O’Hagan (Irl) 74 69, K Smith (Can) 70 73, T Elliott (Aus) 72 71, P Smith (Sco) 71 72, S Bennett (Eng) 72 71, H Buhrmann (RSA) 71 72,

144 N Mitchell (Eng) 70 74, J Murphy (Eng) 72 72, J Ross (USA) 72 72, M Bright (RSA) 74 70, Y Nilsson (Swe) 71 73, M Wharton (Eng) 68 76, J Lindberg (am) (Swe) 73 71,

145 M Zilko (Aus) 74 71, B Lincoln (RSA) 75 70, J Martin (Aus) 69 76, A Saddington (Sco) 74 71,

146 J Davila (Esp) 73 73, D Wettlaufer (Can) 73 73, Z Martinez (USA) 75 71, T Burgoyne (Sco) 72 74, R Roper (Eng) 74 72, S Graham (am) (Eng) 72 74,

147 M Bianco (Ita) 76 71, B Smit (RSA) 72 75, M Guzman (Arg) 73 74, C Milne (USA) 71 76, A Mackenzie (Sco) 73 74, R Arnott (Sco) 76 71, E Foster  (Eng) 77 70,

148 S Ball (Eng) 75 73, D Berry (Eng) 74 74, T Chen (Tpe) 74 74, P Mayo (Wal) 73 75, M Deboub (Alg) 73 75, M Kierstenson (Eng) 74 74, K Tarling (Can) 73 75, L Watcham (am) (Eng) 73 75, T Söderberg (am) (Swe) 75 73,

149 C Grenier (Aut) 74 75, A Macdonald (Eng) 75 74,

150 E Kocs (USA) 72 78, T Charnley (Eng) 76 74,

151 M Belsham (Eng) 75 76, B Stevens (Eng) 75 76, J Saxton (USA) 72 79, Jimmy Heggarty (Nir) 75 76,

152 R Briars  (Eng) 77 75, B Wearne (Aus) 78 74, D Ray (Eng) 77 75,

156 L Martins (Bra) 76 80, S East (am) (Eng) 80 76,

157 S McNally (Eng) 76 81,

158 G Green (USA) 81 77,

159 M Rolfe (Eng) 78 81