Five Irish survive cut at Alps Tour Q-School
La Cala Resort
Five of Ireland's six remaining hopefuls made the 36-hole cut at the Final Stage of the Alps Tour Qualifying School in Spain.
While Simon Bryan was disqualified for using a range-finder on the first hole on day one and Sean Denny added an 80 to his opening 84 to miss the cut by 16 strokes, Michael Dallat and Justin Brink lead the Irish contingent on two-under par.
They are tied for eighth spot in the race for 35 cards at La Cala Resort near Malaga, six shots behind South Africa’s Albert Venter, who shot 70 on the Asia Course to lead by two shots from France’s Paul Bariteau and England’s Jack Singh Brar.
Seventy-five players made the five-over par cut with the top 35 on two-over or better.
Galgorm Castle amateur Dallat shot a level par 72 on the Asia Course as Switzerland-based Brink carded a level par 71 on the America Course.
Naas' Conor O'Rourke is tied for 17th on level par after making four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey five in his 72 on the Asia Course while Mount Juliet's Stephen Grant is a shot further back in joint 23rd after a carding four birdies and six bogeys in a 74 at the same venue.
David Carey made the cut on the mark after a rollercoaster, one-over-par 73 — a trademark round for his this season.
The Dubliner made seven birdies, two bogeys, a double bogey and a quadruple bogey nine at the 16th on the Asia Course to share 65th on five-over.
The field will play the final round on the Asia Course on Saturday with the top 35 earning full cards (Category 6) and the remainder Category 8 membership.
By making it to the final stage, Denny is eligible for membership in Category 9.
Alps Tour Qualifying School, La Cala Resort (Asia/America Courses)
Qualifiers
1 Albert VENTER RSA -8 65 70 135
T8 Michael DALLAT (Am) IRL -2 69 72 141
T8 Justin BRINK IRL -2 70 71 141
T17 Conor O'ROURKE IRL Par 71 72 143
T23 Stephen GRANT IRL +1 70 74
T65 David CAREY IRL +5 75 73 148
Non-qualifiers
138 Sean DENNY IRL +21 84 80 164
DQ Simon BRYAN IRL DQ
