Walker Cup quartet continues Q-School bid in Spain

Jack Hume, pictured on the final day of the 2015 Home International Matches at Royal Portrush, competes as an amateur at Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort in Castellan. Picture by Pat Cashman

Four of Ireland’s Walker Cup winners face an all-or-nothing week at the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain from Friday.

With Cormac Sharvin still in college, the quartet of Open Championship hero Paul Dunne and his Great Britain and Ireland team mates Gavin Moynihan, Jack Hume and Gary Hurley make up a third of the 12-strong Irish contingent that will battle some 280 players across four venues for around 60 places in the Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort from November 14-19.

The Island’s Moynihan joins Derry’s Mick McGeady and Moyola Park’s Chris Selfridge at El Saler in Valencia while Naas ace Hume tees it up as an amateur at Panoramica Golf and Sport Resort in Castellón with international team mate Colm Campbell Jnr from Warrenpoint, 2007 Walker Cup player Jonny Caldwell and Headfort’s Brian Casey.

“The game is good and it course is nice,” Hume said from Spain, where around 15 player from each venue will join already exempt players such as Peter Lawrie, Kevin Phelan, Damien McGrane or Ruaidhri McGee at the Final Stage. “It will be scoreable if the weather stays good.”

Dunne, who is just back from warm weather practice in Alabama, and his Walker Cup foursomes partner Hurley try their luck at Lumine Golf and Beach Club in Tarragona with former Walker Cup winner and British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar.

"I'm feeling okay," Hurley said. "I've had two good days of preparation and the course is good."

Banbridge’s Richard Kilpatrick and Headfort’s La Cala based Rory McNamara take their chances at Las Colinas Country Club in Alicante hoping to make it to Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort where the leading 25 and ties after six rounds win Category 15 membership for 2016.