Q-School: McCarroll battles back; high winds force Tuesday finish at Panoramica
Narin and Portnoo's Brendan McCarroll is in with a shout at Stage Two of Q-School.
High winds have forced a Tuesday finish at Panoramica but a fair wind was blowing for Narin and Portnoo's Brendan McCarroll in the third round of the Qualifying School's Second Stage at El Saler.
The former amateur international got off to a horrific start with an opening 77 but after following a 71 with a four-under 68, he's in position to make the 21 qualifiers who will progress from the Valencia venue to the Final Stage at Lumine in Tarragona from November 11-16.
Seven-time European Tour winner Álvaro Quirós has announced he will caddie for Gonzalo Fernandez Castaño, himself a seven-time winner, at the six-round Final Stage.
Irish golf will be hoping for a strong presence in Tarragona and Ballymena's Dermot McElroy remains the leading Irish player at El Saler, tied for 15th on two-under par after a third round 71 with just 21 players set to progress.
Knock's Colin Fairweather shot a one-under 70 to sit on the qualifying mark at Las Colinas in Alicante on four-under-par where Michael Hoey (one-over) and John Ross Galbraith (seven-over) are struggling.
Monday will also be a key day for Jonny Caldwell and Cormac Sharvin in the race for just 22 qualifying places at Desert Springs Golf Club in Almería.
Caldwell shot 74 and Sharvin a one-under 71 to leave them tied for 32nd on three-under — two shots outside the top 22 — as Niall Kearney's hopes evaporated with an 81.
No play was possible due to high winds at Panoramica in Castellón, where Ruaidhri McGee is tied 13th, Gary Hurley 21st and David Carey 45th after 36 holes in the race for 21 spots.
With firm and fast greens, balls were moving on the practice putting green before the start and the European Tour has told the players they will complete 72 holes on Tuesday.
A total of 85 qualifying spots are available into the Final Stage, which takes place at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona from November 11-16, with 21 players advancing from each of three venues — Campo de Golf El Saler, Las Colinas and Panoramica — and 22 progressing from Desert Springs. The qualifiers will join 71 exempt players in the 156 man Final Stage field.
European Tour - Second Qualifying Stage, November 3-6
Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort, Castellón - 21 progress (-6 or better)
- T13 MCGEE, Ruaidhri -8 69 67 - 136
- T21 HURLEY, Gary -6 68 70 - 138
- T45 CAREY, David -3 68 73 - 141
Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Alicante - 21 progress (-4 or better)
- T21 FAIRWEATHER, Colin -4 73 66 70 209
- T42 HOEY, Michael +1 69 72 73 214
- T60 GALBRAITH, JR +7 68 75 77 220
Campo de Golf El Saler, Valencia - 21 progress (Even or better)
- T15 McELROY, Dermot -2 70 73 71 214
- T20 McCARROLL, Brendan Par 77 71 68
Desert Springs Golf Club, Almería - 22 progress (-5 or better)
- T32 CALDWELL, Jonathan -3 68 71 74 213
- T32 SHARVIN, Cormac -3 69 73 71 213
- 70 KEARNEY, Niall +9 74 70 81 225