Q-School joy for Moynihan, Dawson and Sharvin
Tramore’s Robin Dawson promised to “give it socks” at the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School as he joined former Walker Cup team mates Gavin Moynihan and Cormac Sharvin in surviving the Second Stage in Spain.
The 21-year old fired a one-under 71 to finish tied for sixth on 13-under with Sharvin, who shot 70, at El Encin Golf Hotel in Madrid where Old Conna's Neil O'Briain (73) missed out by five strokes on four-under as 24 qualified for the gruelling Final Stage there.
”I’m very pleased,” Dawson said after rounds of 70, 66, 68 and 71 left him just four shots behind winner Josh Geary from Australia. “It was nice to take advantage of getting straight to Second Stage
“My game is in nice shape and I’m very much looking forward to giving it socks next week.”
The 108-hole Final Stage begins at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona on Saturday (Nov 10-15)with the 95 Second Stage qualifiers joining 61 exempt players.
The 156-strong field will play four rounds over the Lakes and Hills Courses with only the top 70 and ties after 72 holes qualifying for the last two rounds.
All those who make the four-round cut will earn Challenge Tour status while only the top 25 and ties after six rounds will be awarded a category on the European Tour.
Moynihan, who was the only Irish player to win his card at Lumine last year, was fourth on 15-under par after a closing 66 at Desert Springs in Alicante where 24 players qualified.
However, they did not include Rory McIlroy’s former Walker Cup foursomes partner, Jonny Caldwell from Clandeboye, who shot a 69 agonisingly lost out in an eight-man playoff for the last six spots on eight-under.
While there was joy for Dawson, there was no luck for the other two Waterford men in action with Waterford Castle's Kevin Phelan (72) finishing five shots outside the Desert Springs playoff on three-under with West Waterford's Gary Hurley (75) three shots further back there on level par.
Derry’s Ruaidhri McGee (66) was six shots outside the qualifying mark on one-under at Las Colinas Golf and Country Club in Alicante with Cameron Raymond (72) two shots further back.
Naas' Conor O'Rourke (72) came up ten shots shy on four-over at Alenda Golf as six played off for the final four spots at a venue where 24 qualified after a six-player play-off to decide the final four places on six-under.
European Tour Qualifying School
Second Qualifying Stage
Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Alicante, Spain (Par 71) 23 qualified on -7 or better
T42 Ruaidhri MCGEE 71 72 68 74 66 -1 FQ
T47 Cameron RAYMOND 74 70 68 72 +1 FQ
Alenda Golf, Alicante, Spain (Par 72) 24 qualified on -6 or better
65 Conor O'ROURKE Naas 72 74 74 72 +4 FQ
Desert Springs, Almería, Spain (Par 72) 24 qualified on -8 or better
4 Gavin MOYNIHAN Mount Juliet Estate 70 70 67 66 -15 QUALIFIED
T19 Jonathan CALDWELL Clandeboye GC 74 67 70 69 -8 (FQ after 8/6 playoff)
T40 Kevin PHELAN Waterford Castle 75 73 65 72 -3 FQ
T51 Gary HURLEY West Waterford GC 67 73 73 75 Even FQ
WD Luke DONNELLY Mount Juliet Estate
El Encin Golf Hotel, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain (Par 72) 24 qualified on -9 (after playoff)
T6 Robin DAWSON Tramore GC 70 66 68 71 -13 QUALIFIED
T6 Cormac SHARVIN Ardglass GC 68 73 64 70 -13 QUALIFIED
T47 Neil O'BRIAIN Old Conna GC 70 72 69 73 -4 FQ
First Qualifying Stage
Oct 09-12 — Section D Golf d’Hardelot, France
T95 Peter Williamson 79 72 73 224 FQ
Oct 09-12 — Section D Bom Sucesso, Óbidos, Portugal
T10 Conor O'Rourke 75 71 68 70 284 QUALIFIED
T25 Jonathan Yates (AM) 69 74 76 70 289 FQ
T30 David Carey 82 68 71 69 290 FQ
Sep 25-28 — Section C Frilford Heath
1 Gary Hurley, 71 71 68 69 279 QUALIFIED
T6 Kevin Phelan, 73 69 70 71 283 QUALIFIED
T40 JR Galbraith, 72 74 72 73 291 FQ
T65 Brian Casey, 73 76 70 76 295 FQ
T78 Tim Rice, 72 79 72 223 CUT
T78 Paul McBride, 72 80 71 223 CUT
T78 John Hickey (Am), 74 74 75 223 CUT
T82 Niall Kearney, 72 79 73 224 CUT
T101 Stuart Grehan, 81 75 75 231 CUT
T106 Paul O'Neill, 79 79 75 233 CUT
Sep 25-28 — Section C Golf Club Bogogno, Italy
T13 Cameron Raymond 70 70 71 67 277 QUALIFIED
Sep 18-21 — First Stage Europe Section B Stoke by Nayland
T22 Dermot McElroy, 67 74 70 78 289 FQ
T34 Colin Fairweather, 76 74 66 77 293 FQ
T41 Michael Ryan (Am), 70 75 73 79 297 FQ
MC Kieran Lynch (Am), 77 79 80 236 FQ
Sep 18-21 — Section B GolfClub Schloss Ebreichsdorf. Austria
MC Stephen Grant 80 72 71 223 FQ
MC Peter Dallat 73 74 78 225 FQ
Sep 11-14 — Section A Fleesensee, Germany
T18 Colm Moriarty 74 70 70 69 283 FQ
T25 Michael McGeady 70 72 72 71 285 FQ
First Stage Europe Section A The Players Club, Bristol, England
T3 Luke Donnelly Q 77 71 62 74 284 QUALIFIED
6 Neil O'Briain Q 72 68 72 74 286 QUALIFIED
T34 Brian McElhinney 79 74 70 74 297 FQ
T45 Joe Dillon 71 77 76 76 300 FQ
MC Brendan McCarroll 75 82 79 236 FQ.