Dermot McElroy, pictured during the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ieBig numbers seriously damaged the hopes of Stephen Grant, Alan Dunbar and Brendan McCarroll but Ruaidhri McGee, Dermot McElroy, Gareth Shaw and Damian Mooney all made positive moves with rounds in the 60s at the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

With 314 players at four venues vying for just 69 spots at next week’s Final Stage, Sunday’s second round gave a clear indication of the hopes of Ireland’s 12-strong contingent.

Ruaidhri McGee chips at his 10th hole, the 1st, and walks off with a double bogey. He made three birdies coming home to shoot 70. Picture courtesy https://twitter.com/gmacespanyaRosapenna’s McGee showed his mettle at Las Colinas in Alicante (17 qualifying places are available) where he overcame tough, windy conditions and a double bogey six at his 10th hole to card a one under 70 that left him tied for fifth on five under behind runaway leader James Heath.

Niall Kearney is the next best of the Irish there, just one stroke outside the qualifying places in tied 21st on one under after a level par 71. But there were mixed fortunes for the other four Irishmen at that venue.

Belfast’s Damian Mooney shot a 69 to move up to joint 39th on one over but former professional footballer Grant birdied his opening hole before struggling to make any more ground in a disappointing 78 that left him tied for 52nd on three over. He later confessed that he struggled in the wind and putted poorly.

His Alps Tour colleague Brendan McCarroll also struggled, failing to make a birdie as he followed his opening 69 with a 79 to share 66th on six over while The Island’s David Rawluk shot 76 to finish the day tied for 74th on nine over.

There are no Irish inside the Top 17 at El Saler in Valencia though Waterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan added a 72 to his opening 71 to share 20th spot on one-under par, just one shot outside the magic number.

Colm Moriarty’s 71 left him just a shot further back in joint 25th on level par but it was a disastrous day for former British Amateur champion Dunbar, who shot an 80 to slip to 70th on nine over.

Stephen Grant. whose approach to his final hole trickled back into the hazard, tries to work out where to drop. Picture courtesy https://twitter.com/gmacespanyaBallybunion’s JD Guiney is 13 over in Valencia after rounds of 82 and 75 but there was better luck for two remaining Irishmen in action at the other two Second Stage venues.

Ballymena amateur McElroy dropped just one stroke in a superb, three under 68 at Lumine Golf & Beach Club in Tarragona and shared 20th on three under, just a shot outside the qualifying places.

At Valle Romano in Malaga, Challenge Tour regular Gareth Shaw bounced back with a bogey free 68 to climb to joitn 46th on one-under par, though still five shots outside the top 18 to go through there.

Selected tweets:

 

+4 today. Could have been a lot worse as I have no idea where it’s going! Limited the damage anyway, so pleased about that.

Todays round summed up combination of bad play,bad breaks & putted terrible for 78👎😂 I really struggled with the windy conditions #nightmare

Well today confirms that I am officially sick of golf! New career path could be in order

Better today but still long way away from top 18! Finding these greens very difficult. Im owed a few putts next two rounds.

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club

130 J Heath (Eng) 64 66,

133 B Stone (RSA) 64 69,

134 L Bond (Wal) 67 67,

136 J Knutzon (USA) 67 69,

137 J Robinson (Eng) 69 68, L Astl (Aut) 66 71, G Cambis (Fra) 64 73, W Homan Jnr (USA) 71 66, J Hahn (USA) 69 68, J Ruth (Eng) 67 70, Ruaidhri McGee (Irl) 67 70,

138 A Wrigley (Eng) 68 70, G Cunningham (am) (USA) 69 69,

139 D Ulrich (Sui) 70 69, D Kemmer (USA) 69 70,

140 R Coles (Eng) 72 68, G Wright (Wal) 69 71, G Porteous (am) (Eng) 69 71, J Kelly (USA) 70 70, F Eriksson (Swe) 67 73,

—— 17 to qualify at Las Colinas ——

141 P Maddy (Eng) 71 70, N Henriques (Por) 72 69, S Hodgson (Eng) 72 69, N Ravano (Ita) 70 71, T Sherreard (Eng) 70 71, M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 73 68, K Borsheim (Nor) 69 72, C Griffiths (Eng) 71 70, S Allan (Aus) 66 75, P Relecom (Bel) 66 75, Niall Kearney (Irl) 70 71, M Clemens (Mex) 70 71, H Leon (Chi) 72 69,

142 R Prophet (Eng) 72 70, D Lokke (Den) 66 76, H Joannes (Bel) 72 70, J Kaske (Fin) 68 74, M Richardson (Eng) 69 73,

143 O Floren (Swe) 71 72, G Schultes (Ger) 74 69, J Webber (Eng) 73 70, M Glauert (Ger) 73 70, M Sell (Eng) 73 70, V Blazquez (Esp) 68 75, J Camargo (Esp) 72 71, A Garcia-Heredia (Esp) 72 71, Damian Mooney (Nir) 74 69, C Dammert (am) (Ger) 74 69,

144 J Kennegard (Swe) 69 75, M Rominger (Sui) 74 70, J Rask (Swe) 75 69,

145 M Van Dijk (Ned) 71 74, B Chapellan (Fra) 74 71, Stephen Grant (Irl) 67 78,

146 N Bruzelius (Swe) 75 71, J Sloan (Eng) 72 74, F Laporta (Ita) 72 74, R Busher (am) (Eng) 74 72, A Bolognesi (Ita) 71 75, S Jeppesen (Swe) 74 72,

147 A Kirstein (Ger) 71 76, M Jensen (USA) 68 79, G Axell (Swe) 72 75, P Williamson (USA) 70 77, F Bergamaschi (Ita) 73 74,

148 Brendan McCarroll (Irl) 69 79, P Erofejeff (Fin) 71 77, M Jedrzeyczyk (Pol) 72 76, D Booth (Eng) 74 74,

149 K Samooja (Fin) 73 76, S McNamara (USA) 73 76, S Robertshawe (Eng) 73 76,

150 D Balin (USA) 73 77,

151 R Goger (am) (Aut) 80 71, J Banbury (Eng) 74 77, David Rawluk (Irl) 75 76,

152 M Jager (Aus) 76 76,

 

Campo de Golf El Saler

137 C Del Moral (Esp) 70 67, N Quintarelli (Ita) 67 70,

138 N Fenwick (Sco) 70 68,

139 R McEvoy (Eng) 71 68, B Hopfinger (USA) 72 67, C Ortiz (Mex) 69 70,

140 T Linard (Fra) 68 72, W Harrold (Eng) 70 70, S Heisele (Ger) 71 69, P Edberg (Swe) 66 74, J Ahlers (RSA) 68 72,

141 R Evans (am) (Eng) 71 70,

142 P Francis (USA) 74 68, C Brazillier (Fra) 72 70, L Canter (Eng) 71 71, A Bruschi (Ita) 70 72, F Fritsch (Ger) 75 67, E Cole (USA) 72 70, C Lloyd (Eng) 69 73

—— 17 to qualify at El Saler ——

143 A Saddier (Fra) 69 74, L Lee (Bra) 69 74, Kevin Phelan (Irl) 71 72, J Barnes (Eng) 71 72, G Murray (Sco) 73 70,

144 F De Vries (Ned) 68 76, V Phillips (Eng) 70 74, J Lando Casanova (Fra) 71 73, J Westwood (Eng) 71 73, Colm Moriarty (Irl) 73 71, R Wallis (Eng) 69 75, D Callaway (Eng) 74 70, A Pavlov (Rus) 71 73, M Grönberg (Swe) 73 71, S Crichton (am) (Sco) 71 73,

145 P Couvert (Fra) 72 73, A Velasco (Esp) 73 72, J Howarth (Eng) 74 71, L Saltman (Sco) 73 72, P Reed (Eng) 71 74, W Roebuck (Eng) 72 73,

146 R Han (Chn) 73 73, T Pieters (Bel) 71 75, M Pastor (Esp) 72 74,

147 M Veijalainen (Fin) 75 72, Y Benson (Can) 73 74, J Moul (Eng) 72 75, K Thompson (USA) 74 73, P Ferrier (Sco) 76 71, A Snobeck (Fra) 72 75,

148 C Rodiles (Esp) 78 70, P Oriol (Esp) 76 72, F Adarraga (Esp) 76 72, N Bjorling (Swe) 76 72, A Jacobsson (Swe) 77 71,

149 N Johansson (Swe) 76 73, Z Blair (am) (USA) 74 75, F Jahn (Ger) 73 76, D Wuensche (Ger) 78 71, M Lampert (Ger) 73 76, A Rai (Eng) 81 68,

150 L Claverie (Esp) 75 75, J Winther (Den) 75 75, A Belt (Eng) 72 78, C Batut (Fra) 78 72,

151 F Praegant (Aut) 77 74, K Crossland (Eng) 80 71, D Lloyd (RSA) 81 70, W Booth (Sco) 76 75,

152 J Abbott (Eng) 73 79,

153 S Campbell (Eng) 78 75, Alan Dunbar (Nir) 73 80,

154 F Figueroa (Esa) 84 70, K Ichihara (Jpn) 82 72, G Boyd (Eng) 79 75,

157 JD Guiney (Irl) 82 75,

158 J Legarrea (Esp) 84 74,

162 J Chamberlain (Eng) 83 79,

 

Lumine Golf & Beach Club

134 C Hanson (Eng) 64 70,

135 J McLister (USA) 65 70, D Gavins (Eng) 67 68, R Russell (Sco) 67 68,

136 B Evans (Eng) 70 66, L Nemecz (Aut) 64 72, A Zemmer (Ita) 71 65,

137 P Sjöland (Swe) 66 71, T Cruz (Por) 67 70, T Murray (Eng) 66 71,

138 A Cooley (Eng) 68 70, J Doherty (Sco) 69 69, D Antonelli (Fra) 69 69, C Bouniol (Fra) 70 68, L Goddard (Eng) 70 68, J Timmis (Eng) 69 69, A Marshall (Eng) 70 68, D Brooks (Eng) 69 69, C Dennis (USA) 69 69,

—— 17 to qualify at Lumine Beach Club ——

 139 A McLardy (RSA) 71 68, E Johansen (Nor) 70 69, T Lee (USA) 70 69, M Haastrup (Den) 69 70, J Glennemo (Swe) 68 71, L De Jager (RSA) 72 67, Dermot McElroy (am) (Nir) 71 68, C Shinkwin (am) (Eng) 68 71,

140 D Griffiths (Eng) 71 69, S Dartnall (Aus) 69 71, H Porteous (RSA) 68 72, J Hepworth (Eng) 67 73, R Kind (Ned) 70 70, J Dransfield (Eng) 70 70, O Farr (Wal) 73 67,

141 B Hafthorsson (Isl) 70 71, P Doherty (Sco) 72 69, Z Scotland (Eng) 67 74, O Stark (Swe) 71 70, G Woolgar (Eng) 71 70,

142 M Hoffman (Can) 71 71, J Billing (Swe) 74 68, A Hansen (Den) 72 70, K Eriksson (Swe) 70 72, S Archibald (Eng) 67 75, S Hutsby (Eng) 66 76, M Southgate (Eng) 70 72,

143 J Frazer (Wal) 67 76, Å Nilsson (Swe) 73 70, A Smith (Eng) 75 68, K Benz (Sui) 69 74, J Sandelin (Swe) 73 70, D Law (Sco) 70 73, G O’Mahony (USA) 73 70, N Kimsey (am) (Eng) 73 70,

144 R Brown (Eng) 70 74, D Geminiani (Ita) 72 72, J Senior (Eng) 74 70, P Eriksson (Swe) 74 70, J Mommo (Fin) 70 74, B Etchart (Esp) 75 69, J Palmer (Eng) 71 73, S Schwind (am) (Ger) 71 73,

145 X Guzman (Esp) 72 73, A Cheese (Eng) 73 72, S Fallon (Eng) 68 77, G Houston (Wal) 71 74, E Saltman (Sco) 74 71, M Soegaard (am) (Den) 72 73,

146 D Palm (Swe) 73 73,

147 T Petersson (Swe) 73 74, H Bacher (Aut) 73 74,

149 S Matton (Eng) 73 76,

150 S Anderson (USA) 73 77, J Rutherford (Eng) 71 79, J Girrbach (am) (Sui) 76 74,

151 T Smith (USA) 73 78,

153 S Forgan (Eng) 74 79,

154 M Wallace (Eng) 76 78,

 

Valle Romano

132 G Stal (Fra) 67 65, L Bedford (USA) 67 65, N Nissen (Den) 65 67,

133 R Pettersson (Swe) 67 66, D Perrier (Fra) 66 67, O Zetterwall (Swe) 67 66,

134 D Berger (USA) 69 65, A Björk (Swe) 65 69, E Espana (Fra) 67 67,

135 M Bremner (RSA) 68 67, R Hjelm (Den) 68 67, H Leon (Chi) 69 66, C Hinton (Eng) 68 67, S Arnold (Aus) 69 66, M Orrin (Eng) 68 67,

136 C Lange (Den) 67 69, A Johnston (Eng) 66 70, D Skinns (Eng) 67 69,

—— 18 to qualify at Valle Romano ——

 137 F Delamontagne (Fra) 68 69, A Bernadet (Fra) 68 69, T Bertoni (USA) 68 69, S Einhaus (Ger) 67 70, J Watts (Eng) 67 70, G Canizares (Esp) 72 65, J Gallegos (am) (Esp) 70 67,

138 G Main (USA) 71 67, J Fly (USA) 70 68, P Widegren (Swe) 64 74, M Laskey (Wal) 70 68, A Maestroni (Ita) 68 70, R Steiner (Aut) 68 70,

139 R Kind (Ned) 71 68, C Arendell (USA) 70 69, S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp) 70 69, S Little (Eng) 70 69, T Whitehouse (Eng) 68 71, P McKechnie (Sco) 69 70,

140 M Trappel (Aut) 75 65, F Ewing Iv (USA) 73 67, M Salminen (Fin) 72 68, C Berardo (Fra) 70 70, W Strickler (USA) 67 73, L Jensen (Den) 70 70, B Hebert (Fra) 73 67, P Mejow (Ger) 69 71,

141 A Rota (Ita) 71 70, J Gonnet (Fra) 71 70, Gareth Shaw (Nir) 73 68, L Cornford (Eng) 72 69,

142 G Piris Mateu (Esp) 73 69, R Cazaubon (Mex) 70 72, B Fowles (Eng) 71 71, A Tadini (Ita) 69 73, J Wilkinson (Eng) 70 72, C Russo (Fra) 70 72, T Pulkkanen (Fin) 72 70, O Lieser (Cze) 72 70, C Corbin (am) (Eng) 73 69,

143 M Schneider (Ger) 70 73, B Newman (USA) 74 69, C Macaulay (Sco) 72 71, P Fendt (Aut) 69 74,

144 C Aronsen (Nor) 72 72, D Hupfer (Can) 74 70, A Vongvanij (Tha) 73 71, B Gielow (USA) 74 70, C Mivis (Bel) 75 69,

145 R Neil-Jones (Eng) 73 72, D Markle (Can) 70 75, A Romano (Ita) 72 73,

146 J Lomas (Eng) 76 70,

147 S Wiedergrün (Ger) 78 69,

148 R Harris (Eng) 72 76, J Garcia Del Moral (Esp) 78 70,

149 D Coupland (Eng) 71 78, H Hilford Brander (Swe) 78 71, W Harmston (Eng) 77 72,

150 S Brown (Eng) 74 76, D Wood (Eng) 76 74, I Gregory (Eng) 75 75,

152 M Daley (Eng) 76 76.