Phelan on the brink but Higgins and McGee falter at Q-School

Waterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan, pictured here during the third round of the US Open at Merion, is a shot outside the qualifying places with a round to play at PGA Catalunya Resort. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ieWaterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan produced a storming finish to keep his chances of winning a European Tour alive with just one round to go at the gruelling final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Catalonia.

But Waterville’s David Higgins and Rosapenna’s Ruaidhri McGee are all but out of the running after enduring tough days on the Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort near Girona. Scoreboard

Phelan birdied his 16th and 17th holes at the Stadium Course for a two under 70 that left him just one stroke outside the top 25 and ties who will win tour cards. But Higgins bogeyed his last two holes for a disappointing two over 74 that left him eight shots outside the mark with McGee a shot further back after a 75.

“It was nice to get a couple of birdies there at the seventh and eighth after making a couple of bogeys,” said Phelan, who finished the day tied for 33rd place on seven under par. 

“It was a good finish after dropping shots at my 13th and 14th holes and I just missed a birdie chance at the last as well from around 15 feet. 

“I have a good chance going into tomorrow now and while I haven’t gotten the most out of my rounds so far, hopefully I can capitalise on a few more chances tomorrow and win my card.

“I know I have Challenge Tour status already but the goal is still to go out there and win a full card and I’ll be going out to try and finish as high up the leaderboard as I can.” 

Phelan started on the back nine and birdied the 13th and 16th before bogeys at the 18th, fourth and fifth against a solitary birdie at the par-five third left him back in the pack. 

But two great strikes followed by a deft, bladed chip to five feet at the par-five seventh gave the 23-year old hope and he then followed up with a six iron to 15 feet at the par-three eighth and converted the putt before narrowly missing from similar range at the ninth.

Higgins, 40, was level par for his round with six holes to play but bogeyed the eighth and ninth - his 17th and 18th - for a two-over par 74 that left him tied for 67th on level par.

As for McGee, the 22-year old had three bogeys and a double bogey in a 75 to slip to joint 70th on one over.

Carlos del Moral and girlfriend/caddie Karin Dedering. Picture ©Getty ImagesOvernight leader Carlos Del Moral of Spain added a 65 to his sensational 63 in round four to lead by four shots Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti on 21 under par.

The 28 year old has his girlfriend Karin Dedering on the bag this week and he believes that she has played a huge part in his success as he looks forward to a full season on The 2014 Race to Dubai.

“I have struggled a lot this year so I decided that no one knows me better than my girlfriend and she’s a great golfer too, a scratch handicap, so she knows what she is doing,” said the Qualifying School specialist.

“She is very supportive and it has been very emotional for both of us, first of all playing for just a Challenge Tour category at Second Stage and then here for a European Tour card, so hopefully we can have an unforgettable finish tomorrow.

“She is a great putter and every time I have a doubt I ask her. She knows my game and my distances very well and she is doing great as a caddie. She gives me that emotional support too and if I have a bogey she might come and say, ‘you’re cute’, so it cheers me up. It’s really nice to have her out there.”

Scores:

335 C Del Moral (Esp) 67 71 69 63 65;

339 F Zanotti (Par) 66 70 67 68 68;

343 J Morrison  (Eng) 72 67 63 70 71; M Crespi  (Ita) 71 70 67 68 67;

344 G Stal  (Fra) 71 68 69 68 68; A Saddier (Fra) 71 66 69 71 67; M Lundberg (Swe) 69 68 70 71 66; S Manley (Wal) 68 71 67 69 69; J Hahn (USA) 66 66 73 68 71;

345 A Gee  (Eng) 66 70 71 69 69; W Ormsby (Aus) 69 67 70 69 70; P Sjöland (Swe) 66 72 67 67 73; L Bjerregaard  (Den) 65 70 69 69 72; B Paolini (USA) 70 71 68 64 72; A Forsyth (Sco) 65 70 70 69 71; T Pieters  (Bel) 64 73 72 68 68;

346 E Espana (Fra) 62 74 69 67 74;

347 A Hartø  (Den) 67 70 69 72 69; J Dantorp (Swe) 66 68 68 72 73; D Brooks (Eng) 65 71 69 66 76; O Stark (Swe) 66 71 67 71 72;

348 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 68 71 69 71; M Tullo (Chi) 67 70 68 71 72; E Goya (Arg) 66 70 67 73 72; J Doherty  (Sco) 68 70 66 71 73; J Knutzon (USA) 70 69 71 69 69; E Kofstad (Nor) 70 68 67 72 71; S Wakefield (Eng) 69 68 67 69 75; J Heath  (Eng) 69 71 70 69 69; C Paisley  (Eng) 67 70 70 70 71; M Korhonen (Fin) 69 71 68 70 70; C Arendell (USA) 72 70 71 65 70;

349 T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 69 68 71 69; M Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 67 71 72; D Kemmer (USA) 67 70 67 72 73; Kevin Phelan (Irl) 73 67 68 71 70; N Quintarelli (Ita) 68 74 71 62 74; O Wilson (Eng) 69 67 74 68 71; R Karlberg  (Swe) 66 77 72 65 69;

350 A McArthur  (Sco) 66 73 70 73 68; D McGuigan (Sco) 71 68 71 70 70; D Im (USA) 70 73 72 64 71; C Hanson (Eng) 66 77 71 66 70; T Lee (USA) 64 75 73 64 74;

351 A Dodt (Aus) 71 71 72 67 70; C Bouniol (Fra) 73 70 71 66 71; J Barnes (Eng) 66 72 72 69 72; B Dredge (Wal) 68 71 70 68 74; H Leon (Chi) 68 70 70 72 71; B Stone (RSA) 69 66 70 72 74;

352 M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 67 73 69 71 72; Z Scotland  (Eng) 71 74 69 67 71; A Johnston (Eng) 67 73 69 71 72; B Henson (USA) 71 70 70 68 73; A Marshall (Eng) 71 70 70 69 72; R Finch  (Eng) 64 71 70 72 75; M Hensby (Aus) 69 77 69 67 70; J Lando Casanova  (Fra) 76 65 69 70 72; G Lockerbie  (Eng) 72 65 67 73 75; M Grönberg (Swe) 75 67 73 66 71;

353 M Jonzon (Swe) 64 72 70 71 76; O Fisher  (Eng) 72 69 72 67 73;

355 J Huldahl (Den) 72 68 70 72 73; J Elson  (Eng) 64 74 72 72 73; B Evans  (Eng) 71 77 69 65 73; K Horne (RSA) 72 68 72 68 75;

356 L Gagli  (Ita) 74 66 72 70 74; David Higgins (Irl) 67 73 72 70 74; K Pratt (Aus) 71 66 70 75 74;

357 Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 70 66 72 74 75; C Shinkwin (am) (Eng) 68 70 71 73 75.