McGeady and Dillon start solidly at Q-School
Michael McGeady and Joe Dillon made sub-par starts the first First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.
Evolve Golf Coaching professional McGeady fired four birdies in a two-under 70 at Fleesensee in Germany to share ninth place, just three strokes behind Finland’s Lauri Ruuska with Glasson’s Colm Moriarty tried 30th after a two-over 74.
Dillon made three birdies in a one-under 71 at The Players Club in Bristol to share seventh place, five shots behind Welshman James Frazer with Neil O’Briain tied 10th on level par after a 72.
Brendan McCarroll had three birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys in a 75 to share 34th with Mount Juliet’s Luke Donnelly bouncing back bravely from going triple bogey, double bogey at the first two holes to play the remainder in level par with five birdies on his card for a 77.
He’s tied 47th and still in with a chance but it will be tougher for North West’s Brian McElhinney who is tied 67th after a 79.
There’s a long way to go before these players can win European Tour or Challenge Tour card. The top 25 players after six rounds of Final Stage will earn their European Tour card for the 2019 season.
The number of players who advance to the Second Second Stage from each of this week’s venue has yet to be announced but
European Tour Qualifying School - First Stage
Sep 11-14 — First Stage Europe Section A Fleesensee, Germany
70 Michael McGeady
74 Colm Moriarty
First Stage Europe Section A The Players Club, Bristol, England
71 Joe Dillon
72 Neil O’Briain
75 Brendan McCarroll
77 Luke Donnelly
79 Brian McElhinney
Sep 18-21 — First Stage Europe Section B Stoke by Nayland
Colin Fairweather
Kieran Lynch
Dermot McElroy
Sep 18-21 — First Stage Europe Section B GolfClub Schloss Ebreichsdorf. Austria
Peter Dallat
Stephen Grant
Sep 25-28 — First Stage Europe Section C Golf Club Bogogno, Italy
Cameron Raymond
Oct 09-12 — First Stage Europe Section D Golf d’Hardelot, France
Peter Williamson
Oct 09-12 — First Stage Europe Section D Bom Sucesso, Óbidos, Portugal
Jonathan Caldwell
David Carey
Conor O’Rourke
Jonathan Yates