McNamara makes Alps Tour Q-School Finals with ease

Headfort's Rory McNamara played well at La Cala, where he is attached

Headfort's Rory McNamara will join Simon Ward, Stephen Grant and 18-year old amateurs David Carey and Tommy O'Driscoll at next week's Final Stage of the Alps Tour Q-School in Spain.

The former international was one of 74 players to qualify over three courses in the First Stage at La Cala on Friday, finishing tied third on the Europa Course after rounds of 70 and 69 left him four behind winner Harry Casey on three under with Brian Sweeney and Ciaran Lavery well off the pace.

Javier Ballesteros, son of the late Seve Ballesteros, finished on nine over at the America Course to miss out by one stroke while at the Asia Course, young amateur Sean Doyle from Athlone also missed out as he finished joint 66th on 19 over after rounds of 81 and 82.

The Final Qualifying Stage is scheduled to be played over 54 holes from Monday to Wednesday next:

A field of 144 players will play two rounds over each of the Asia and Europa Courses. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the leading 65 players and those players tied on the final qualifying place score who will then play one further round on the Asia Course”.

At the conclusion of the 54 holes, the leading 35 players (and those players tied on the final qualifying place score) will be ranked according to score. Players holding these positions will be eligible for membership in Category 6 of the Alps Tour for the 2014 season.

Players making the cut of the Final Qualifying Stage and finishing beyond 35th place will be eligible for membership in Category 8 of the Alps Tour for the 2015 season and will be subject to the 2015 re-rank policy adopted by the Alps Tour Committee.