Irish well placed at Korn Ferry Q-School

Kevin Phelan

The Island’s Paul McBride and Derry’s Ruaidhri McGee are inside the qualifying places heading into the final rounds of their First Stage qualifiers at the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School.

McBride shot a level par 71 in the third round at The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, North Carolina, to share third place on 12-under, just a shot off the lead, in the race to finish in the top 20 and ties who progress to the second stage. Scores

Waterford\s Kevin Phelan shot 68 and Portmarnock’s Conor Purcell a 69 to lie just a shot outside the top 20, tied for 22nd on five-under.

Meanwhile, McGee is tied for 16th on six-under in his qualifier at The Breakers Rees Jones in West Palm Beach in Florida. Scores

Rosslare’s Paul Murphy lies 51st on three-over after a third round 73, leaving him eight strokes outside the top 20.

The Irish have enjoyed mixed fortunes so far.

Devin Morley and Eoin Leonard had no luck at Valdosta in Georgia and David Carey and Gary Hurley missed out at Winter Garden in Florida.

However, Holywood’s Tom McKibbin qualified in seventh in Arizona.