Amateur golf, Challenge Tour, European TourBrian KeoghOctober 12, 2018European Tour Qualifying School, Conor O'Rourke, Jonathan Yates, David Carey

Q-School: O'Rourke makes Second Stage

Amateur golf, Challenge Tour, European TourBrian KeoghOctober 12, 2018European Tour Qualifying School, Conor O'Rourke, Jonathan Yates, David Carey

Naas’ Conor O’Rourke closed with a two-under 70 to qualify for next month’s Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Just days after winning the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy as the leading home player in the Monaghan Irish Challenge at Concra Wood, the 27-year old recovered from an opening 74 by breaking par in his next three rounds at his First Stage qualifiers at Bom Sucesso in Portugal.

After following rounds of 71 and 68 with a closing 70, he tied for 10th on four-under par at where 21 players progressed on two-under or better.

Spain’s Sebastian Garcia led the qualifiers, finishing eight strokes clear of the field of 18-under par.

O’Rourke’s club mate, amateur Jonathan Yates, also signed off with a 70 but while he made two eagles and 18 birdies (including seven in his final round), he was left to rue five double bogeys over the four rounds as he tied for 25th to miss out by two strokes on one-over par.

Castleknock’s David Carey shot 69 to finish tied 30th, a shot further back.

At Golf d’Hardelot in France, where Peter Williamson missed the three round cut, American Kurt Kitayama also had eight shots to spare as he topped the 24 qualifiers on 24-under.

A total of 28 Irish players teed it up at the First Stage but just six made it through to the Second Stage at four Spanish venues from November 2-5 — O’Rourke, Gary Hurley, Kevin Phelan, Cameron Raymond, Luke Donnelly and Neil O’Briain.

They will be joined a host of exempt players, including:

All European Tour Members in Categories 1 - 22 as at 29th August 2018
The top 90 European Challenge Tour Ranked Members and Associate Members (1 & 2) and those Ranked Amateurs or Associate Members (3) ranked within these positions in the Road to Ras Al Khaimah Rankings as of the 29th August 2018 and in the Final 2018 Road to Ras Al Khaimah Rankings
The top 90 European Challenge Tour Ranked Members and Associate Members (1 & 2) and those Ranked Amateurs or Associate Members (3) ranked within these positions in the Final 2018 Road to Ras Al Khaimah Rankings
Winners of the Qualifying School in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Winners of the European Challenge Tour Rankings in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Players whose eligibility as a European Tour Order of Merit Tournament Winner expired at the end of any of the following official seasons: - 2008 - 2016 (inclusive).
European Tour Members in positions 76-100 in the European Tour Career Money List on 29th August 2018.
The leading player (i.e. ranked 1st) in each of the following SatelliteTour Final Orders of Merit for 2018, unless already exempt under eligibility category 11. below:
- The PGA Europro Tour
- Pro Golf Tour
- The Nordic League
- ALPS Tour
The leading 6th to 15th placed entrants (not otherwise eligible above) to a limit of 25th place from the Asian Tour Order of Merit as at 29th August 2018 provided that the relevant applicants have applied to enter the First Stage by the 29th August 2018.
The leading 4th – 10th placed entrants (not otherwise eligible above) as at 29th August 2018 to a limit of 25th place in the following Orders of Merit provided that the relevant applicants have applied to enter the First Stage by 29th August 2018:
- PGA Tour of Australasia (Final 2017 Order of Merit)
- The Japan Golf Tour
- The Sunshine Tour (Final 2017/2018 Order of Merit)
The leading 6 entrants as at 29th August 2018 to a limit of 10th place in the following Satellite Tour Orders of Merit provided that the relevant applicants have applied to enter the First Stage by 29th August 2018:
- The PGA Europro Tour
- Pro Golf Tour
- The Nordic League
- ALPS Tour
The leading 3 entrants as at 29th August 2018 to a limit of 10th place in the following Orders of Merit provided that the relevant applicants have applied to enter the First Stage by 29th August 2018:
- China Tour
- Korean Tour
The leading 5 entrants as at 29th August 2018 to a limit of 15th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking provided that the relevant applicants have applied to enter the First Stage by 29th August 2018.
The Second Stage will be conducted on 2nd - 5th November 2018 at the following venues:
- Alenda Golf, Alicante, Spain (nearest airport, Alicante - 20 minutes).
- Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
  (nearest airports, Murcia (San Javier) – 20 minutes, Alicante – 45 minutes).
- Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club, Almería, Spain (nearest airports, Almería - 60 min, Murcia (San Javier) - 90 minutes)
- El Encin Golf, Madrid, Spain (nearest airport, Madrid Barajas – 30 minutes)