Asian Tour agony; McNamara and Carey miss out at Q-School
Japan’s Mitsumasa Tamura
There was agony in Thailand for Rory McNamara and David Carey as they came up narrowly short in their bids to qualify for the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
Headfort’s McNamara shot a one under 71 but up two strokes outside the top 12 and ties in 13th place on three under par at Windsor Park Golf Club in Bangkok.
It was just as frustrating for 20-year old Carey, who went into the final round at Suvarnabhumi Golf & Country Club three shots outside the top 22 and ties who progressed there.
The former Carton House man was five under for his first 13 holes but then dropped three shots in the last four to come up three shots shy of qualification for the Final Stage in a fortnight.
A tremendous start saw the former Boys international birdie the par-five first, seventh and 10th to move into the mix.
He then birdied the short 12th and the 13th to go five under for the day but all his good work was undone by a bad finish.
Bogeys at the 15th and 16th, followed by a double bogey six at the 17th saw him slip back to just one under for the day before he birdied the 18th for a closing 70.
Carey eventually finished tied for 27th on five under par, three shots outside the qualifying mark for the top 22 and ties.
Australia’s Jack Wilson shot 66 to top the qualifiers by one stroke on 20 under par from compatriot Austin Bautista and American Kelby Burton.
At Windsor Park, Japan’s Mitsumasa Tamura shot 66 to top the qualfiers with Korea’s Yoon Sangpil on 14 under par.
Suvarnabhumi Golf & Country Club — Final scores
Dubliner Niall Kearney and Limerick man Tim Rice will try to make it to the Final Stage from their Section B qualifier from January 4-7.
Muskerry’s Niall Turner has medical exemption for the Asian Tour for 2017 having taken a sabbatical in 2016 to take care of a series of niggling injuries.
The Final Stage of the Q-School will be played at Suvarnabhumi Golf & Country Club from January 11 to 14.
