O'Rourke and McElroy join McGee, Power and Purcell at Q-School Final stage
Conor O'Rourke in action at The K Club in 2020. Picture: Pat Cashman
Paul Dunne missed out but Naas’ Conor O’Rourke and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy kept their hopes of winning a DP World Tour card alive by coming through the weather-delayed Second Stage of the Qualifying School in Spain.
O’Rourke (32) carded a one-over 72 to finish joint sixth on four-under-par at Golf Las Pinaillas in Albacete in the battle for 24 places in the gruelling, six-round Final Stage.
He will be joined at Infinitum in Tarragona on Friday by McElroy (30), who carded a three-under 68 to finish tied 14th on two-under.
The cut-off fell at one-under par but 2017 British Masters champion Dunne (30) missed out on a three-man playoff for the last two spots by three strokes after he bogeyed his last two holes and carded a 71 to tie for 35th on two-over.
O’Rourke and McElroy now join fellow Second Stage qualifiers Ruaidhri McGee and Mark Power, and Conor Purcell (exempt via the Challenge Tour rankings) at the Final Stage.
“I was pleased mostly in my attitude all week,” O’Rourke said after his weather-delayed Second Stage qualifier ran into a fifth day. “It was obviously a very messy week in terms of weather and stop-start golf in really testing conditions.
“So I was particularly proud about the way I handled myself and I have to credit my brother James who was caddying this week.
“He did a really really good job when I got ahead of myself a bit here and there today and helped me come through and do my job.”
The goal now is to finish in the top 25 and ties at the Final Stage, which is scheduled for 108 holes.
A field of 156 players will play two rounds over both the Lakes and Hills Courses at Infinitum with the top 70 and ties after 72 holes playing two further rounds.
“It’s exciting,” O’Rourke said. “Obviously game-wise it was really good all week. Nothing was faltering so I was happy with that and proud of how we handled the week.
“I got the job done. So on now to the finals and looking forward to another challenge.”
Dermot McElroy
McElroy was also thrilled to qualify and he’s hoping it will be third time lucky for him at the Final Stage.
“It was tricky to keep the concentration going with all the delays and how bad the weather was but in general I think I handled myself very well on the course and controlled my game fairly well,” McElroy said.
“I think this week should be exciting. I got to the Final Stage as an amateur in 2013 and again in 2017 in my first year as a pro so I’m definitely more experienced.
“The last time I was there it was around the same two courses so I definitely know how to prepare for it and what to do and what not to do.
“I am looking forward to it. I have a chance to play some good golf and hopefully that's good enough.”
Mweanwhile, the DP World Tour returns to action for the 66-man, $6 million Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, where Tom McKibbin is Irish golf’s lone representative.
The Galgorm professional joins the likes of Ryder Cup stars Max Homa, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre and Justin Rose at Gary Player Country Club before heading to Dubai for next week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
McKibbin is 41st in the Race to Dubai and just under 600 points outside the top 10 not already exempt in the race for ten PGA Tour cards.
