McGeady and Kearney on Q-School pace, other Irish lagging
Niall Kearney and Michael McGeady, first and second in the Irish PGA at Adare Manor and the top two in the PGA Irish Region this season, are leading the Irish challenge at the Second Stage of the Qualifying School in Spain. Picture: Thos Caffrey / www.golffile.ie
Derry's Michael McGeady and Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney remain on track to survive the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain - but only just.
With 293 players at four venues bidding for just 67 spots at next week's Final Stage, birdies are vital if they are to keep their dreams alive in what is a scoring spree at almost all venues.
While all eight Irish hopefuls broke par in their second rounds, only McGeady and Kearney are on track to win places in the Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort next week.
McGeady shot a two under 70 at El Saler in Valencia, where just 17 spots are up for grabs, to move up to tied seventh on one under.
There are also just 17 places on offer at Lumine Beach and Golf Club in Tarragona but only Kearney, who is tied 17th on three under after a 69, is in position to progress.
Waterville pair David Higgins and Mark Murphy shot 70s to move up to tied 36th and 44th respectively while a 70 for Brendan McCarroll only helped him improve eight spots to 62nd.
Muskerry's Niall Turner, who looks likely to win back his Asian Tour card through the Top 5 in the Asian Development Tour (ADT), shot a four under 67 at Las Colinas in Alicante but even at two under 140 he's three shots outside the top 17 in joint 34th.
He needs two more low rounds to progress and the same goes for Ruaidhri McGee and Gareth Shaw at Panoramica in Castellon, where the are just 16 places on offer.
Scoring is so low there that McGee's three under 69 moved him up just one place to tied 51st on three under.
While Shaw's 66 was an 11-shot improvement on his opening 77, he's tied 56th on one under, seven strokes outside the top 16.
EUROPEAN TOUR SECOND QUALIFYING STAGE, NOVEMBER 7-10
LAS COLINAS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, ALICANTE
Spots available from here to Final Stage - 17
- T34 Niall Turner 73 67 -2 (Top 17 at -5 and better)
CAMPO DE GOLF EL SALER, VALENCIA
Spots available from here to Final Stage: 17
- T7 Michael McGeady 73 70 -1 (Top 17, at Level par and better)
LUMINE GOLF & BEACH CLUB, TARRAGONA
Spots available from here to Final Stage: 17 (Top 17, at -3 or better)
- T17 Niall Kearney 70 69 -3
- T36 David Higgins 73 69 Ev
- T44 Mark Murphy 73 70 +1
- T62 Brendan McCarroll 77 70 +5
PANORAMICA GOLF & SPORT RESORT, CASTELLÓN
Spots available from here to Final Stage - 16 (top 16 at -8 or better)
- T51 Ruaidhri McGee 72 69 -3
- T56 Gareth Shaw 77 66 -1