Q-School: Donnelly and O'Briain jump first hurdle

Luke Donnelly with Paul McGinley at Adare Manor earlier this year.

Mount Juliet’s Luke Donnelly and Old Conna’s Neil O'Briain jumped the first fence in the European Tour Qualifying School grand national when they made it through the First Stage with ease in Bristol.

Donnelly (21) tied for third at The Players Club, where he was five over par after just two holes of Tuesday’s first round but rallied brilliantly, carding a course record, 10-under 62 in the third round before closing with a 74 yesterday to finish on four-under.

He was eight strokes behind Haydn McCullen, who topped the 21 qualifiers on 12 under par by two strokes from Gian Marco Petrozzi.

O'Briain also shot 74 in the final round to finish sixth on two-under at a venue where 21 players from the 94-strong field made it through on five-over or better, leaving Brian McElhinney four shots outside the mark with Joe Dillon three shots further back.

Denmark’s Frederik Dreier triumphed at Fleesensee in Germany where 15 players qualified from a field of 75 on seven-under or better.

Glasson's Colm Moriarty missed out by two shots despite closing with three birdies for a 69 with Evolve Golf's Michael McGeady two shots further back after a 71.

European Tour Qualifying School - First Stage

Sep 11-14 — First Stage Europe Section A Fleesensee, Germany

Scores

• T18 Colm Moriarty 74 70 70 69 283

• T25 Michael McGeady 70 72 72 71 285

First Stage Europe Section A The Players Club, Bristol, England

Scores

• T3 Luke Donnelly Q 77 71 62 74 284

• 6 Neil O'Briain Q 72 68 72 74 286

• T34 Brian McElhinney 79 74 70 74 297

• T45 Joe Dillon 71 77 76 76 300

• MC Brendan McCarroll 75 82 79 236

Sep 18-21 — First Stage Europe Section B Stoke by Nayland

1. Colin Fairweather

2. Kieran Lynch

3. Dermot McElroy

Sep 18-21 — First Stage Europe Section B GolfClub Schloss Ebreichsdorf. Austria

1. Peter Dallat

2. Stephen Grant

Sep 25-28 — First Stage Europe Section C Golf Club Bogogno, Italy

1. Cameron Raymond

Oct 09-12 — First Stage Europe Section D Golf d’Hardelot, France

1. Peter Williamson

Oct 09-12 — First Stage Europe Section D Bom Sucesso, Óbidos, Portugal

1. Jonathan Caldwell

2. David Carey

3. Conor O’Rourke

4. Jonathan Yates