15 Irish survive Stage One at Europro Tour Q-School
Brian Casey finished second at Mannings Heath thanks to a closing 68
Fifteen of Irish golf's 26 hopefuls survived Stage One of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School at six UK venues.
Ballymena's Dermot McElroy was the best of the bunch, winning at The Carrick with a 69 after the second round was cancelled due to course conditions.
Headfort's Brian Casey closed with a four-under-par 68 at Mannings Heath to qualify in second place on 140 for next week's Final Stage at Frilford Heath alongside Headfort assistant Joe Dillon (144) and Peter Williamson (145).
North West's Brian McElhinney, Delgany's Simon Bryan, Wayne Telford and Holywood's Michael Alexander made it at Caversham Heath where Stackstown's Richard Bridges was unlucky to miss out by two shots.
Sligo's Michael Durcan, Dubliner David Carey and The Island's David Rawluk all got through at Formby Hall while Omagh's Nial Kearns and Edenderry's Ger Hall made it at Stoke-by-Nyland.
At the Players Club in Bristol, Halpenny Golf's Steven Quinlan and Blackwood Golf Centre's Ciaran Molloy also progressed.
The 178 qualifiers from Stage One will join the already exempt 62 players at Frilford Heath from April 5-6.
The leading 80 players will play a final round on the Blue Course on Friday 7 April, with the top 30 earning category 3 and entry to the 2017 HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour.
Players who made it to the Final Stage will earn a category 14 card with the top 80 exempt in category 10.
Those who do not qualify for Final Stage will be awarded Category 15 status and ranked in order of their finishing position at the Qualifying School.
HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School Stage One
How the Irish fared
Mannings Heath – 36 qualified +5 149
Qualified
2 Brian Casey (Unattached) 72 68 140
T16 Joe Dillon (Headfort) 70 74 144
T18 Peter Williamson (Unattached) 70 75 145
Caversham Heath – 38 qualified +5 151
Qualifiers
- T8 Brian McElhinney (North West) 72 74 146
- T10 Simon Bryan (Delgany) 76 71 147
- T17 Wayne Telford (D&GW Racing) 76 73 149
- T23 Michael Alexander (Holywood Golf Club) 73 77 150
Non-qualifiers
- T46 Richard Bridges (Stackstown) 77 76 153
- T77 Fionntan Lawlor (Unattached) 83 81 164
Formby Hall – 38 qualified +6 150
Qualifiers
- T6 Michael Durcan (Beverley and East Riding) 70 75 145
- T22 David Carey (Unattached) 76 72 148
- T33 David Rawluk (The Island) 75 75 150
Non qualifiers
- T49 Mark Whelan (Allied Pension Trustees) 79 74 153
- T68 Sean Denny (Concra Wood Golf Club) 78 79 157
- T76 Colm Crowley (Woodbrook Golf Club) 79 81 160
Stoke by Nayland – 18 qualified +2 146
Qualifiers
- T10 Nial Kearns (Omagh Golf Club) 73 71 144
- T13 Ger Hall (Edenderry Golf Academy) 69 76 145
The Carrick – 13 qualified +5
Qualifiers (Reduced to 18 holes due to weather)
1 Dermot McElroy (Ballymena) 69 (-2)
Non-qualifiers
RTD Pearse McMurray (Viste Bella) RTD
Players Club – 35 qualified +5 149
Qualifiers
- T7 Steven Quinlan (Halpenny Golf) 68 74 142
- T29 Ciaran Molloy (Blackwood Golf Centre) 74 74 148
Non-qualifiers
- T38 Simon Irwin (Holywood Golf Club) 75 75 150
- T42 Declan Loftus (Unattached) 73 78 151
- T45 Brendan McCarroll (Narin & Portnoo Golf Club) 79 73 152
- T51 Peter Redmond (a) (Unattached) 76 77 153
