Dawson, Mullarney and McBride clinch Category 6 cards at Alps Tour Q-School
Robin Dawson
Tramore’s Robin Dawson, Galway’s Ronan Mullarney and The Island’s Paul McBride secured Category 6 membership at the Alps Tour Qualifying School Final Stage in Rome.
Dawson followed rounds of 68 and 71 with three-under 69 at Golf Nazionale to finish second on nine-under-par, just two strokes behind Dutch amateur Lars Van der Vight in the 54-hole test.
“I am happy enough,” Dawson said after his five-birdie round. “It was nice to shoot some solid scores and play well.”
Mullarney, who qualified for THe 150th Open at St Andrews in July, looked in trouble after an opening 78 but he followed a second-round 68 with a three-under 69 to finish tied 17th on two-under as 36 players secured Category 6 membership.
The Island’s Paul McBride followed rounds of 72 and 71 with a two-over 74 but finished tied 24th on level par to secure his card.
But it was a disappointing day for the other Irish to make the cut for the top 65 and ties.
Rosslare’s Paul Murphy, who was tied third with a round to go, shot an 11 over 83 to finish tied 56th on five-over while The Island’s Joseph Hanney posted an 82 to tie for 64th on 11-over.
Murphy made a triple bogey eight at the first and double bogey at the second and while he made the first of three birdies at the second, he also had another three bogeys and three double bogeys.
Like Hanney, he received Category 8 membership for next year's season.
The remaining 91 players, who included Michael Young, Simon Bryan, John Hickey and Tom Dowdall are eligible for membership in Category 9 for the 2023 Alps Tour season.
Dawson has yet to make plans for the winter but he’s contemplating some MENA Tour action after Christmas while Mullarney, who is mulling a trip to the Asian Tour Q-School, may combine Alps Tour and Challenge Tour invitations with some Clutch Pro Tour events next year now that the Europro Tour has folded.
