Damian Mooney made a solid start at Q-School in Scotland. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ieBallyliffin’s Damian Mooney and Cork’s Peter O’Keeffe were the only Irish players inside the qualifying places after the opening round of the European Tour Qualifying School First Stage qualifier at The Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course in Scotland.
Gareth Maybin will be playing in The Open at Muirfield next month. Picture © Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieGareth Maybin will play in his second major next month after clinching one of nine places in the Open Championship on offer from International Final Qualifying Europe at Sunningdale.Talk about a bad day at the office.
Stephen GrantAs PQ1 (Section A) reached the halfway stage at four venues in England, Scotland, Portugal and Denmark, all 12 Irish hopefuls are outside the qualifying places.
Barrie Trainor is the best of the bunch but a second round 78 at Dundonald Links relegated the Warrenpoint man from fifth to tied 23rd, one stroke outside the top 20 who will progress to stage two from that venue after four rounds.
Amateur stars Shane Lowry, Paul O'Hanlon and Jonathan Caldwell have entered the first stage of this month's European Tour Qualifying School.
The trio form part of a 34 strong Irish army bidding to make it all the way to the third and Final Stage at PGA Golf de Catalunya in Spain from November 13-18.