Knock’s Colin Fairweather made an eagle and four birdies in an immaculate 66 to move inside the crucial top 20 and ties at halfway in the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.

The former amateur international shares sixth place on four under, just three strokes behind the leader at Frilford Heath un Oxfordshire. 

Naas’ Conor O’Rourke (74) and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy (70) are tied 15th and 19th respectively while 71s for Niall Kearney and Stuart Grehan leave them within reach of the top 21 with two rounds to play.

European Tour Qualifying School Section D, Frilford Heath

Detailed scores

1 TARVER-JONES Peter  ENG -7 68 69 137  
2 DEAN Joseph  ENG -6 68 70 138  
2 FORD James  ENG -6 66 72 138  
4 CHAUDHURI Neil  ENG -5 67 72 139  
4 HOWARTH Jamie  ENG -5 70 69 139  
6 CORNFORD Luke  ENG -4 68 72 140  
6 FAIRWEATHER Colin  NIR -4 74 66 140  
6 MAYE Clifford  FRA -4 68 72 140  
6 SHERIDAN - MILLS Henry  ENG -4 71 69 140  
6 WATSON Nick  ENG -4 68 72 140  
11 BOOTE David  WAL -3 69 72 141  
11 COUPLAND Dave  ENG -3 72 69 141  
11 LASKEY Mark  WAL -3 72 69 141  
11 RÖNNEBLAD Hannes  SWE -3 70 71 141  
15 CHANG Heemin  KOR -2 72 70 142  
15 HELLGREN Björn  SWE -2 70 72 142  
15 JAMES Mark  ENG -2 72 70 142  
15 O'ROURKE Conor  IRL -2 68 74 142  
19 HUNT Toby  WAL -1 73 70 143  
19 JOHANNESSEN Kristian Krogh  NOR -1 72 71 143  
19 KUNZENBACHER Julian  GER -1 68 75 143  
19 MCELROY Dermot  NIR -1 73 70 143  
19 PONCELET Xavier  FRA -1 71 72 143  
19 SPOONER Billy  ENG -1 70 73 143  

Other Irish

41 KEARNEY Niall  IRL +2 75 71 146  
49 GREHAN Stuart  IRL +3 76 71 147  
77 MCELHINNEY Brian  IRL +8 74 78 152  
77 SELFRIDGE Chris  NIR +8 76 76 152  
99 LE BLANC Kevin  IRL +19 80 83 163