Moriarty best of Irish seeking Tour cards
Saturday, 28 November 2009 23:18The final round of the European Tour qualifying started on Saturday at the PGA Golf de Catalunya with 156 hopefuls playing for just tthirty places at the PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona.
On the Stadium course today Colm Moriarty of Glasson shot a 65 to hold on to sixth pace overnight on the first day of final qualifying. His score was a significant achievement after the event leader; Julien Guerrier of France, shot a record score of 60.
The Frenchman has already earned his playing rights for the 2010 Race to Dubai after finishing 16th in the Challenge Tour Rankings this season. So this week he is playing for the chance to gain a better category and he gave himself every possibility after shooting the lowest round in European Tour Qualifying School history with a total of eleven birdies.
Former Royal County Down assistant Simon Thornton started very well with a three under par after 12 holes, but was unable to improve on the score for the remainder of the round signing for a 67. His score places him joint 20th place over night.
Alongside him is Jonathan Caldwell who also came in with a very respectable 67.
St Margaret's John Kelly ended day one with a two over par 72 and lies in joint 99th place after his round on the Stadium Course.
Gary Murphy, who is back to Tour School after missing automatic qualification ten years after winning his European Tour card, came in with 69.
Niall Kearney of Royal Dublin shot level par and is also in 99th place after a 72.
With only 30 cards plus ties available, there are 156 hopefuls playing four rounds - two each over the Tour Course and the Stadium Course - before the field is reduced to 70 players plus ties to play two more rounds over the Stadium Course on Wednesday and Thursday.
