Mixed fortunes for Irish golfers at Qualifying School
Monday, 18 November 2002 16:57Irish golfers Gary Murphy, Gary Cullen, Stephen Browne and Damien McGrane are all still in contention for European Tour cards, however, Philip Walton, Michael Hoey and Daniel Sugrue were not so fortunate today.
Murphy is the leading Irishman at the Qualifying School in Spain, tied for third place on 18 under after a fourth round 67 today. Cullen's 69, Browne's 63 and McGrane's 73 means they are all on eight under, surviving the cut by two strokes.
A final-hole bogey sent former Ryder Cup winner Walton crashing out. The Irishman three-putted Emporda's ninth green for a 71 and five under par total of 281. He thought at the time he had still made it through to the last 36 holes of the six-day marathon, but, after a three-hour wait, his fate was sealed by the very last group.
Northern Ireland's former British amateur champion Michael Hoey is also out after finishing on one over. Hoey had battled back from an opening quadruple bogey eight at Pals to be four under after 54 holes. But he then collapsed to a 77 and finished almost as badly as he had started with a double bogey seven. "I've got a lot of learning to do. My game isn't ready yet," admitted Hoey, who was a shot away from making the halfway cut in the Masters at Augusta in April. Meanwhile, Sugrue finished well off the pace with a 7 over total.
England's Philip Archer continues to lead, a four under par 67 at Emporda lifting the 30-year-old to 21 under par. The top 35 and ties on Wednesday earn cards for next year's circuit.
Filed by James Boylan.
