15 Irish survive Stage One at Europro Tour Q-School

March 30, 2017 Brian Keogh

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.

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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.