With seven Irish players heading for the World Championship in Dubai this week, for the season finale in the Race to Dubai, there are twelve other Irish golfers flying in a different direction to take part in the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 in Spain – in the hope of making it the final stage next month where 30 Tour cards will be on offer for the 2011 season.
With Irish golf flying so high at the moment following it is perhaps no surprise that the domestic game is so vibrant at this time. The challenge now though is to see how many players can get through Q School to join the more recent graduates to the European Tour; Gareth Maybin, Shane Lowry and Michael Hoey.
Already this week two candidates fell short at the US PGA Tour Q School Second Stage with Chris Devlin of Ballymena and Mark Murphy of Waterville missing the cut. Last month Seamus Power, Niall Turner, Fergal Rafferty and Thomas Kearney missed out at the First Stage.
At European Tour Qualifying School this year up to 47 players set out in search of their playing cards and the group has now been whittled down to twelve for Stage 2 which will be played over four venues in two Spanish cities – Murcia and Jerez - as of November 26th.
At Stage 3 last year Ireland had 6 representatives at PGA Catalunya in Girona - after 10 players failed at the previous stage two – with Niall Kearney, Simon Thornton; Gary Murphy and John Kelly those in action on the final day. In the end only Thornton and Murphy were amongst the final thirty and played the 2010 season. However both players are back to school once again – with Simon Thornton exempt until the final stage following his finish in 142nd pace in the Race to Dubai.
Gary Murphy though in 240th place is in action in Stage 2.
The Team Ireland members in action this week include Jonathan Caldwell, Colm Moriarty, Niall Kearney, Michael McGeady, Niall Turner and Gareth Shaw. The Irish PGA Professionals involved are David Mortimer, Michael Collins, Damien Mooney, Barrie Trainor and Mervyn Owens.
Former Shamrock Rovers striker, Stephen Grant, is also in action.
The four venues nominated for European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 which will be hosted from November 26th - 29th in Spain are: Arcos Gardens and Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club, in Jerez and Hacienda del Alamo and El Valle Golf Resort in Murcia.
Hacienda Del Alamo, Murcia
Niall Turner – Muskerry
El Valle Golf Resort, Murcia
Stephen Grant - Unattached
Mervyn Owens - Mallow Golf Club
Barrie Trainor – Team Ireland Golf
Gary Murphy - Oceanico Developments
Arcos Gardens, Jerez
Michael McGeady – Cambridge Duffy
Jonathan Caldwell – Team Ireland Golf
Gareth Shaw – Team Ireland Golf
Costa Ballena Ocean Club, Jerez
Niall Kearney – Royal Dublin Golf Club
David Mortimer – FORE Ireland
Michael Collins - FORE Ireland
Damien Mooney - Unattached
Each Stage 2 event will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play with 18 holes being played each day. There will be no cut during 2nd Stage, however, a competitor is entitled to withdraw at the conclusion of any round provided that notification is given before the close of play each day.
The exact number of qualifying places available at each venue will be announced on Friday 26th November once the exact number of Second Stage participants has been calculated.
