Carey switches focus to Q-School

David Carey. Picture: Alps Tour

David Carey turned his attention to the Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School after he finished tied eighth in the Alps Tour Grand Final and 11th in the Order of Merit.

The Dubliner (23) closed with a three-under 69 at Terre dei Consoli Golf Club in Lazio to finish six strokes behind Italy's Federico Maccario on eight-under par. Scores

Maccario topped the leaderboard on 14-under 274, finishing one stroke ahead of compatriot Edoardo Lipparelli.

His victory also moves him up to fourth place on the Order of Merit, earning him a full Challenge Tour category for next season as one of the top five on the money list.

Lipparelli topped the money list from compatriot Enrico Di Nitto with Frédéric Lacroix (already guaranteed a card after three wins this year) third, Maccario fourth and Austria's, Timon Baltl fifth.

Naas' Jonathan Yates tied for 20th in Italy on two-under after rounds of 70, 73, 72 and 71, finishing 17th in the Order of Merit.

Carey joins fellow First Stage qualifiers Tyler Hogarty, Daniel Brennan, John Ross Galbraith, Niall Kearney, Conor O'Rourke and Ronan Mullarney (am) at the Second Stage of the Q-School at one of four Spanish venues (Alenda Golf, Alicante; Club de Golf Bonmont, Tarragona; Desert Springs, Almeria or Las Colinas, Alicante) from November 7-10.

They will be joined at the Second Stage by Michael Hoey, Robin Dawson and Ruaidhri McGee.

Gavin Moynihan (proving he is inside the top 145 in the Final European Tour rankings tonight) and Paul Dunne are exempt into the six-round Final Stage battle for 25 cards, scheduled for the Lakes and Hills courses at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona from November 15-20.

Carey has been assigned a spot at Desert Springs.