Michael McGeady agonisingly failed to qualify by a single shot at Stage One of the European Tour Qualifying School.Derry’s Ruaidhri McGree and Ballymena’s Chris Devlin lived to fight another day but there was no luck for the rest of the Irish at the European Tour Qualifying School Stage One Section D qualifiers in England and Portugal.

Ruaidhri McGeeChris Devlin slipped to joint second place as Ruaidhri McGee moved up to tied ninth with a round to go in the European Tour Qualiying School Stage One Section D qualifier at Frilford Heath.

Chris DevlinBallymena’s Chris Devlin had not one but two eagle two’s in a second round 64 that catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard in the First Stage Section D qualifier at the European Tour Qualifying School.

Richard Kilpatrick, Gareth Shaw, Brendan McCarroll and Dara Lernihan chill out by the lake in Austria. Picture courtesy of AlpsTourGolf.com/A spot of late afternoon fishing was just what Irish trio Brendan McCarroll, Gareth Shaw and Dara Lernihan needed after moving into contention for victory on the Alps Tour in Austria.

Javier Ballesteros in action. Picture by Fernando Herranz (El Mundo Deportivo)A picture is worth a thousand words and this image of Javier Ballesteros says it all. The 21-year old amateur made his debut in a pro event at the same course where his late father Seve took his first steps on the road to golfing immortality, Sant Cugat, 38 years ago.

And the young law student did so brilliantly, dedicating his  five under 65 to his father as he trailed first round leader Ivo Giner by just three strokes in the Alps Tour’s Peugeot Alps de Barcelona.

Michael McGeady qualified with ease for the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieBig Mick Geady topped a quintet of Irish qualifiers for December’s Second Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School. Of the 40 players who teed it up in the First Stage, 12 (or 30 percent) made it through.

Paul Cutler finished 21st in the Irish Open in Killarney but couldn’t make it through Stage One of the Q-School this week. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie Paul Cutler agonisingly missed the 54-hole Q-School cut by a shot at Frilford Heath and must now rely on sponsors invitations to earn his tour card this year.

The 22-year old from Portstewart, top scorer in Great Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup win last month, shot a six over 78 to finish on 15 over at the Oxfordshire venue in the First Qualifying Stage.

It was a sad end to a personally difficult period for the likeable Ulsterman, whose grandfather John Cutler sadly passed away last week.

Mick MGeady (above), Chris Devlin, Brendan McCarroll, Mark Staunton and David Higgins are all going well at Q-School. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.iePaul Cutler is six shots outside the top 25 and ties who progress to Stage Two from the European Tour School Section D qualifier at Frilford Heath after adding a second round 76 to his opening 77.

The former Walker Cup star is tied for 69th on nine over and in danger of missing the 54-hole cut as only those within seven shots of the qualifying mark - currently three over par - will contest the final round.

Paul Cutler at the Irish Open. He is now a professional with top caddie Phil Morbey on his bag. Picture: Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieWalker Cup hero Paul Cutler has a mountain to climb after opening with a five over par 77 at the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Four budding Irish professionals narrowly cheated death in a car smash as they prepared for a mini tour event in Austria.

Former Irish amateur internationals Dara Lernihan (Castle), Brendan McCarroll (Ballyliffin), Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge) and Gareth Shaw (Lurgan) were driving to the golf course to practice for this week’s Alps Tour event when their hire car collided head on with a motorbike on a twisting mountain road.

L-R Wayne Hachey, Paco Sardina, Miguel Martin, Florian Fritsch, Jonathan Caldwell. Photo Jos Linckens www.golfsupport.nlAs Martin Kaymer giving Tiger Woods a taste of things to come in the Dubai Desert Classic, the German’s former foursomes partner Florian Fritsch was scorching to a nine-under par 62 to win the El Valle Open on the slightly less glamorous Hi5 Pro Tour in Spain.

Fritsch triumphed by a stroke from overnight leader Miguel Angel Martin (73) and Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell (70), who birdied his final three holes to finish alongside the Spaniard on 10 under par.

Jonny Caldwell will be chasing down former tour winner Miguel Angel Martin in the final round of the Hi5 Pro Tour’s El Valle Open on Thursday.

Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell fired five birdies and a bogey in an opening 67 to lead the Irish contingent after the opening round of the Hi5 Pro Tour’s El Valle Open in Murcia.

Wayne Hachey, Lloyd Saltman, Joachim Hansen and James Hepworth at Hacienda del AlamoGareth Shaw tied for fourth place with suspended European Tour player Elliot Saltman in the Hi5 Pro Tour’s Hacienda del Alamo Open in Spain.

Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman leads in SpainLurgan’s Gareth Shaw fired a six under par 66 but still found himself nine strokes adrift of runaway leader Lloyd Saltman entering the final round of the Hi5 Pro Tour’s Hacienda del Alamo Open.

Padraig Harrington hits his approach to the par-four 16th at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf LinksPadraig Harrington looks set to come out fighting in 2011 after putting himself through a gruelling winter training regime.