David Shacklady of England in action during the second round of the Staysure Tour Qualifying School Finals played at Pestana Vale da Pinta. Photo by Phil Inglis/Getty Images

Jimmy Bolger's hopes of winning his card suffered a major reverse in the second round of the Staysure Tour Qualifying School Final Stage in Portugal.

The Kilkenny Golf Club professional (50) double-bogeyed the 18th at Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta Course en route to a five-over-par 76 that leaves him tied for 46th on nine-over and nine strokes outside the top-five who will be awarded cards on the former European Senior Tour after 72 holes.

Only those within eight strokes of fifth place — level par after yesterday’s second round— will qualify for tomorrow’s final round, which means that Bolger may need to break par to have any chance of going for broke on the final day.

England’s David Shacklady, edged out for a card after a three-man playoff last year, birdied his last two holes for a two-under-par 69 and a two-stroke lead on four-under-par from compatriot Paul Streeter and Argentina’s Mauricio Molina, who both shot 70.

English amateur John Kemp shot 67 and Gary Wolstenholme, a six-time Walker Cup player and two-time Staysure Tour winner, a 70 to complete the top five on level par.

Shacklady started his round from the tenth hole, and made consecutive birdies on the 15th and 16th holes, cancelling out an earlier bogey.

After starting the day two under par, he reached a total of five under par after further gains on the second and third holes, but undid his hard work with a bogey and double bogey on the fourth and fifth holes.

Shacklady recovered strongly and birdied the final two holes for a four under par total, two strokes ahead of compatriot Paul Streeter and Argentina’s Mauricio Molina.

“I’m very pleased that I showed some bottle out there,” said Shacklady. “On the fifth hole I found the bottom ridge of the green, lipped out for two and then missed the next two putts. I had to have a word with myself after that and calm myself down.

“I said to my wife last night that everyone is going to have moments on this golf course, I just hope that was mine. It’s very easy to become negative. You have to commit to everything out there, but it’s easier said than done. It’s mentally gruelling. When it’s fiery, fast and windy out there, it’s no fun.

“I’m just pleased I didn’t lose it towards the end, it can drown you when you have moments like that. I refocused and started again. I’d have been pleased finishing level par today, but to come in with two birdies is great.

“It’s nice having the cushion at the top of the leaderboard, but I was in the same scenario last week at First Stage. I was coasting and only finished second. You have to play this like it’s a tournament and try to win it.”

Staysure Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, Vale da Pinta, Pestana Golf Resort (Par 71)

Detailed scores

138 D Shacklady (Eng) 69 69,

140 P Streeter (Eng) 70 70, M Molina (Arg) 70 70,

142 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 70, J Kemp (am) (Eng) 75 67,

143 S Skinner (USA) 74 69, P Parker (USA) 74 69, J Buendia (Esp) 70 73,

144 M Hallberg (Swe) 67 77, P Wilson (Eng) 73 71, A Franco (Par) 75 69, M Booth (Eng) 68 76,

145 V Casado (Esp) 72 73, S McNally (Eng) 74 71,

146 M Wharton (Eng) 72 74, G Joyner (Aus) 74 72, J Quiros (Esp) 73 73, J Romero (Esp) 75 71, J Carriles (Esp) 75 71, D Wettlaufer (Can) 75 71, S Brown (Eng) 74 72, N Cheetham (Eng) 72 74, R Gomez (Arg) 80 66,

147 A Sherborne (Eng) 75 72, G Ryall (Eng) 73 74, T Dodds (Nam) 76 71, M Bianco (Ita) 72 75,

148 N Sweet (Eng) 73 75, J Carro (Esp) 75 73, J Riegger (USA) 79 69, J Cheetham (Eng) 74 74, J Hall (Eng) 75 73, G Rusnak (USA) 75 73,

149 C Monasterio (Arg) 76 73, P Scott (Eng) 76 73, M Green (RSA) 75 74, S Little (Eng) 76 73,

150 W Grant (Eng) 78 72, C Suneson (Esp) 74 76, T Spence (Eng) 75 75, J Steenkamer (Ned) 78 72, F Almskoug (Swe) 75 75, S Bennett (Eng) 75 75, B Conser (USA) 77 73, M Ashworth (am) (Eng) 78 72,

151 S Cipa (Eng) 79 72, P Linhart (Esp) 78 73, Jimmy Bolger (Irl) 75 76, C Swart (RSA) 78 73, J Robinson (Eng) 76 75,

152 R Gonzalez (Arg) 80 72, I Feliu (Esp) 76 76, R Sabarros (Fra) 78 74, M Dornell (am) (Swe) 78 74,

153 J Laforce (Can) 77 76, A Saddington (Sco) 78 75, M Davis (Eng) 79 74, J Sallat (Fra) 79 74,

154 W Botes (RSA) 82 72, S Mondshine (USA) 71 83, S McAllister (Sco) 77 77,

155 D Hospital (Esp) 78 77,

156 M Stimson (Wal) 79 77, N Mitchell (Eng) 77 79,

157 D Westermark (Swe) 82 75, G Emerson (Eng) 85 72, K Tarling (Can) 80 77,

158 M Forrest (Can) 78 80,

159 S Wilkinson (Wal) 78 81, C Acutis (Ita) 80 79, A Wiltshire (am) (Eng) 77 82,

160 M Gallagher (Eng) 79 81,

161 J Murphy (Eng) 82 79, P Gresswell (Eng) 84 77,

162 P Martin (Eng) 83 79,

WD M Buchter (Sui) WD.