Caldwell makes his move as Moynihan and Kearney survive Q-School cut
Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell
Portmarnock Links Robin Dawson agonisingly missed the 72-hole cut by a shot but three Irishmen still have a chance to win European Tour playing rights at the Qualifying School Final Stage in Spain.
As Dawson shot a one-under 70 on the Lakes course to finish a shot outside the mark on three-under, Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell fired a four-under 67 to leap to tied 30th on seven-under par with two rounds to play at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona.
Michael Hoey fell victim to illness in round two (when he shot 79) and missed the four-under-par cut by 11 strokes.
But the dream is still alive for Caldwell and for Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney and The Island’s Gavin Moynihan, who made the final 36 holes on the mark to secure strong Challenge Tour cards.
Moynihan is bidding to win playing rights at the Final Stage of the 108-hole Q-School marathon for the third year in a row.
But he admitted he cut it fine in Tarragona yesterday when he came to the par-five 18th at the Lakes Course on three-under-par, believing a closing par would be enough to make the cut.
“I hit a terrible second shot to the 18th that went way right but I pitched to 12 feet and made the putt for birdie,” Moynihan said after signing for a three-under 68.
“I didn’t realise until I got to the green that I had to make it. I thought the cut was going to be three-under.
“It’s great to make it because I have made some terrible mistakes over the last few days. At least I am still there, but I am just going to have to go for everything over the next two days and make something on the greens.”
He’s tied for 61st with Kearney (31), who made six birdies in a three-under 69 on the tricky Hills Course to secure a full Challenge Tour card and will likely get the chance to play in several smaller European Tour events next season should he wish, including the forthcoming Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek (Nov 28 - Dec 1).
Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney
“I am really pleased to get through today,” said Kearney, who has played mainly on the PGA Europro Tour this year, finishing 34th in the Race to Desert Springs ranking. “It was pretty tense out there, but it is great to have some status in the bag going into the last two rounds.
“I am playing very solid golf is it is all systems go for tomorrow. I know I am four shots outside the cards right now so I am going to have to be a bit more aggressive but there is no point in doing anything crazy.”
Five-time European Tour winner Hoey was disappointed to fall ill on Saturday but he’s happy for his Irish colleagues and believes all three have an excellent chance now.
“I was in agony on Saturday and had to take so much medication, the timing could not have been worse,” Hoey said after closing with a one-under 71 at the Hills to finish on seven-over.
“The scoring has not been as low as other years with the cold weather and the pins tucked, but I think the guys have a good chance now.”
Overnight leader Benjamin Poke of Denmark posted a four-under par 67 on the Lakes Course to lead by three strokes on 16-under par from Korea’s Jinho Choi, S.S.P. Chawrasia from India and Finland’s Sami Valimaki.
But Caldwell, who partnered Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup, is nicely placed on seven-under after rounds of 71, 69, 72 and 67, just one stroke outside the top 25.
“I have to say my putting has been great,” said 35-year old Caldwell. who has been in excellent form on the Europro Tour this year and now has a stronger Challenge Tour card than the one he attained through the third tier tour this season. “Tee to green has been good but making the putts makes everything easier.
“I have a great opportunity over next couple of days to freewheel and see if I can snatch one of those cards.”
Caldwell did not finish in the top five on the Europro Tour but two players ranked ahead of him retained Challenge Tour status by finishing in the top 70 on the Challenge Tour this year, earning him Category 13b membership on the Challenge Tour which he has now improved to Category 9, the next best after this season’s top 45.
As a result Bradley Moore will gain a Challenge Tour spot based on his finish on the PGA EuroPro Tour after Caldwell made the cut freeing up another spot from the Tour this season.
Moore started the season without a category but made the most of his early invite: “Over the moon really for saying I had no category on EuroPro at the start of the year and my games just got better and better throughout the year, getting my first win as well!”
Caldwell, Kearney and Moynihan will have Category 9 membership of the Challenge Tour - the same status that Cormac Sharvin had this year before going on to win his European Tour card through the top 15 in the Challenge Tour rankings.
The European Tour Players Committee is proposing to expand the promotion places to the top 20 from the Challenge Tour next year (reducing Q-School cards from the top 25 to the top 20 and ties) and will vote on that shortly.
According to the European Tour, the Category of Membership earned by successful graduates (top 25 and ties) tomorrow should not be regarded as providing "Full" playing rights on the European Tour.
Greater opportunity will be available to higher ranked members such as tournament winners and top 110 from the previous Season's Race to Dubai. Moreover, the final position earned within the top 25 and ties at the Qualifying School and the subsequent re- rank(s) during the Season will have a significant impact on resultant playing opportunities.
Over the last 5 years, the average number of tournament opportunities this Category has provided to successful graduates is as follows: Winner of the Qualifying School - 29 starts; 25th ranked at the Qualifying School - 19 starts.
It is important to recognise however, that this Category offers full playing rights on the European Challenge Tour when graduates do not qualify for the European Tour on any given week.
In other words, players who graduate from the Q-School will likely have one eye on the Challenge Tour next season. If they fail to make in roads on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai early in the campaign, they may opt to concentrate on chasing one of the 15 or 20 promotion spots from the second tier tour.
It’s an option that may be a good one for the likes of Paul Dunne, whose Rolex Series starts will likely be limited to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Dunne was unable to tee it up at Q-School due to a wrist injury.
The list of high profile players who failed to make it this week is a long one with Ryder Cup player Jamie Donaldson retiring injured and winners such as Matteo Manassero, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, Gregory Bourdy, Ross McGowan, Brett Rumford, Lee Slattery and Steve Webster all missing the 72-hole cut.
European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, Lumine Golf Club, Tarragona, Spain (Lakes Course, Par 71; Hills Course, Par 72)
After round 4 of 6:
270 B Poke (Den) 67 67 69 67;
273 J Choi (Kor) 68 72 69 64; S Chawrasia (Ind) 69 66 71 67; S Valimaki (Fin) 67 68 73 65;
274 N Von Dellingshausen (Ger) 68 68 71 67; A Saddier (Fra) 68 72 67 67; H Long (Ger) 67 71 71 65; M Armitage (Eng) 68 72 69 65; M Schneider (Ger) 69 69 69 67; T Tree (Eng) 67 67 72 68;
275 L De Jager (RSA) 69 68 70 68; G Havret (Fra) 68 70 71 66; A Cockerill (Can) 73 66 69 67; L Van Meijel (Ned) 69 71 65 70; A Cañizares (Esp) 66 71 74 64; D Dixon (Eng) 71 68 69 67;
276 E Ferguson (Sco) 71 72 69 64; C Pigem (Esp) 71 66 73 66;
277 W Nienaber (RSA) 69 73 70 65; J McLeod (Aus) 70 69 68 70;
278 R Sciot-Siegrist (Fra) 68 71 72 67; G Higgo (RSA) 72 67 69 70; R Petersson (Swe) 70 70 74 64; B Easton (RSA) 73 70 66 69; D Coupland (Eng) 69 71 71 67; R Van West (Ned) 70 69 71 68; P Figueiredo (Por) 68 70 69 71; J Gonnet (Fra) 66 72 75 65; D Whitnell (Eng) 69 70 73 66;
<Top 25 and ties>
279 H Leon (Chi) 71 72 68 68; L Scalise (Ita) 67 69 73 70; B Dredge (Wal) 70 71 69 69; J Wrisdale (Eng) 69 72 70 68; D Gavins (Eng) 74 67 67 71; T Gandy (Imn) 70 70 73 66; W Besseling (Ned) 69 67 73 70; G Porteous (Eng) 70 71 70 68; L Canter (Eng) 68 71 70 70; M Warren (Sco) 71 72 67 69; Jonny Caldwell (Nir) 71 69 72 67; D Papadatos (Aus) 68 69 73 69;
280 R Højgaard (Den) 73 68 71 68; A Zemmer (Ita) 68 70 74 68; E Walker (Sco) 67 73 70 70; N Højgaard (Den) 69 70 73 68;
281 J Sandborg (Swe) 69 70 74 68; S Matus (Cze) 70 71 68 72; J Felton (Aus) 70 77 66 68; D Lawson (Aus) 71 72 68 70; C Hanna (USA) 72 73 68 68; S Tiley (Eng) 73 69 73 66; N Lemke (Swe) 67 70 72 72; J Lima (Por) 71 68 72 70; J Catlin (USA) 65 73 73 70; J Kaske (Fin) 72 73 70 66; B Henson (USA) 72 67 72 70; P Eriksson (Swe) 68 74 71 68; J Ritchie (RSA) 71 69 76 65; P Oriol (Esp) 67 72 77 65; T Lee (Kor) 73 67 71 70;
282 A Karlsson (Swe) 71 72 68 71; M Kim (Kor) 68 71 70 73; Niall Kearney (Irl) 71 72 70 69; M Siem (Ger) 73 71 68 70; T Linard (Fra) 73 71 68 70; S Kim (USA) 73 70 68 71; D Young (Sco) 69 69 72 72; U Coussaud (Fra) 71 72 71 68; M Fenasse (Fra) 71 73 69 69; M Baldwin (Eng) 74 69 69 70; C Howie (Sco) 72 70 70 70; G Stal (Fra) 71 73 68 70; J Veerman (USA) 74 74 67 67; B Stow (Eng) 72 72 69 69; Gavin Moynihan (Irl) 70 69 75 68; R Karlberg (Swe) 72 70 71 69; D Fichardt (RSA) 71 72 68 71.
Missed cut:
283 L Johnston (Sco) 72 69 76 66; D Van Tonder (RSA) 69 73 74 67; B Evans (Eng) 71 70 72 70; D Perrier (Fra) 71 72 66 74; Robin Dawson (Irl) 70 71 72 70; B Virto (Esp) 69 70 75 69; K Reitan (Nor) 70 71 74 68; T Oneal (USA) 70 71 72 70; N Schietekat (RSA) 69 71 71 72; D Kemmer (USA) 70 73 67 73;
284 M Lindberg (Swe) 71 75 71 67; F Mruzek (Cze) 75 72 67 70; Å Nilsson (Swe) 70 73 69 72;
285 D Quinones (USA) 76 71 68 70; G Fdez-Castaño (Esp) 71 77 66 71; J Kruyswijk (RSA) 69 75 69 72; B Windred (Aus) 71 67 75 72; B Hutchinson (Eng) 69 73 76 67;
286 B Hellgren (Swe) 73 70 72 71; S Gregory (Eng) 68 75 71 72; M Simonsen (Den) 74 71 68 73; L Ruuska (Fin) 72 75 64 75; G Kristjansson (Isl) 72 67 75 72; T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 75 69 69 73; J Sjöholm (Swe) 76 70 70 70; A Hidalgo (Esp) 72 71 71 72; C Cannon (Eng) 71 73 70 72; J Quesne (Fra) 68 74 75 69;
287 J Geary (Nzl) 74 68 72 73; G Bourdy (Fra) 72 70 75 70; C Sordet (Fra) 72 71 68 76; R Enoch (Wal) 75 69 69 74; R McGowan (Eng) 71 71 74 71; N Kristensen (Den) 72 71 75 69; W Enefer (Eng) 73 76 63 75; G King (Eng) 74 72 70 71;
288 S Saavedra (Arg) 71 74 70 73; M Eggenberger (Swi) 72 70 73 73; B Rumford (Aus) 70 72 75 71; E Johansen (Nor) 71 70 72 75; J Kahlos (Fin) 74 69 69 76; J Fahrbring (Swe) 70 69 76 73;
289 B Petursson (Isl) 74 66 77 72; N Flanagan (Aus) 74 69 73 73; T Rosenmüller (Ger) 74 70 70 75; J Zunic (Aus) 70 73 68 78; J Jones (Can) 76 70 69 74; F Lacroix (Fra) 71 72 71 75;
290 Z Murray (Aus) 70 73 69 78; R Wattel (Fra) 72 75 71 72; E Cuartero Blanco (Esp) 74 70 70 76; M Gilchrest (USA) 73 74 74 69; B Ferguson (Aus) 72 70 75 73;
291 J Thomson (Eng) 73 74 71 73; M Muthiya (Zam) 73 72 72 74; L Hirst (Eng) 75 76 72 68;
292 M Rottluff (Ger) 71 73 72 76; J Arnoy (Nor) 72 74 65 81; B Briscoe (Wal) 76 72 72 72; J Glennemo (Swe) 74 69 71 78;
293 S Hawkes (Aus) 70 76 73 74; G Mulroy (RSA) 74 74 69 76; D Micheluzzi (Aus) 74 75 63 81; M Decottignies-Lafon (Fra) 75 79 68 71; Michael Hoey (Nir) 71 79 72 71; A Bjornsson (Isl) 72 73 71 77; C Blomstrand (Swe) 75 71 73 74;
294 L Slattery (Eng) 71 72 73 78; B Ritthammer (Ger) 68 78 73 75;
295 S Gros (Fra) 72 72 74 77; E De La Riva (Esp) 71 76 75 73;
296 M Schmitt (Ger) 74 69 70 83;
297 F Gustavsson (Swe) 81 72 71 73;
301 M Manassero (Ita) 78 72 75 76;
302 S Webster (Eng) 74 76 79 73;
303 J Roos (RSA) 72 74 80 77;
RT/WD N Mauchaza (USA) 74 79 73 WD; O Lengden (Swe) 72 71 77 WD; J Donaldson (Wal) 73 72 RT.
