Alan Dunbar during the third round of the Alstom Open de France, at Le Golf National, Versailles. Picture: David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie

There’s life after the European Tour Q-School and while it’s a far cry from the Race to Dubai millions, seven Irishmen have decided to part with €600 to continue their golfing odyssey at next month’s Alps Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

Eddie McCormack rebounded from an opening 80 with a 70 in PortugalLimerick’s Pat Murray is the only Irish player on course to make the 54-hole cut in the Portuguese International Amateur Championship near Lisbon.

Opportunity knocks for Nicky Grant in the North of Ireland Championship. Picture by Pat CashmanWho said golf was meant to be fair? Take Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy, who led the qualifiers for the North of Ireland Championship thanks to a nine under 63 on Tuesday only to be sent packing in the opening round less than 24 hours later.

Former Shamrock Rovers forward Stephen Grant closed with a sensational four under 68 to make it to Stage Two of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Carrickfergus’ Ross Oliver fired a three-under par 69 to move into the qualifying places at the halfway stage of the European Tour School’s First Qualifying Stage Section B qualifier at Wychwood Park.

The top 25 and ties progress to December’s Second Sage from the Cheshire venue and Europro Tour regular Oliver, 24, is tied for 23rd on the current one-over par target score, nine strokes behind leader Steve Uzzell.

Stephen Grant started well at the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Germany. Picture by Pat Cashman, courtesy of the Golfing Union of Ireland.Former professional footballer Stephen Grant is the only Irish player inside the qualifying places after the opening rounds of the Section B qualifiers in the First Stage of the European Tour School.