Alan Dunbar is one of 15 Irish players heading for the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School next month. Picture by Pat CashmanAlps Tour graduates Brendan McCarroll and Gareth Shaw and former Walker Cup player Noel Fox - medical exemption - will join Ireland’s 12 stage one survivors in next month’s European Tour Qualifying School Stage Two qualifiers in Spain.

Paul Cutler will be in action in the EuroPro Tour event at Galgorm Castle at the end of May.Paul Cutler is looking forward to getting his 2012 season off to an exciting start when he tees it up in the Ulster Bank PGA Europro Open at Galgorm Castle from May 29 to June 1.

Cian McNamara has his eye on a place at the Q-School finals. Picture Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie.Limerick assistant Cian McNamara and Royal Dublin talent Neil O’Briain battled their way into the top-10 after the opening round of the European Tour Qualifying School second stage in Spain.

Niall Turner in action during the first round of the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia. Photo Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieHe may still be able to fall back on the Asian Tour but Muskerry’s Niall Turner is one of nearly 300 hopefuls chasing their dream at the second stage of the 2012 European Tour Qualifying School in Spain over the next four days.

Michael Collins. (Photo Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie) Jonny Caldwell, Aaron O’Callaghan and Noel Fox made the top 15 who came through the European Tour Qualifying School First Stage at Dundonald Links.

But there was heartbreak for Cork’s Michael Collins, who was ninth overnight but slipped one shot outside the seven over par qualifying mark after a final round 77.

It was an even tougher day for former European Tour stalwart Gary Murphy as he crashed to an 80 to miss out on a place in Stage Two by five shots, slipping from 13th overnight to 18th place.

The 16th at Dundonald Links. Five of the 10 Irish entrants are poised to progress with Clandeboye’s Jonny Caldwell and Scottish amateur Philip McLean tied for the lead with a round to play in the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links.

Gary Murphy in action at the Irish Open this year. Photo Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ieGary Murphy started well but former Walker Cup player Jonny Caldwell is just one stroke off the pace after a marathon day at Stage One of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links.

Crisis? What crisis? No fewer than 41 Irish players have stumped up the €1,600 entry fee to follow their dream and enter the First Qualifying Stage of the European Tour School.

Muskerry’s Niall Turner agonisingly failed to qualify for next month’s Open Championship when he came up one-stroke shy of the top three finish in the Local Final Qualifying at Prince’s.

The Asian Tour regular shot rounds of of 69 and 71 to finish on four under par with Limerick’s Tim Rice back in the pack on two over after two 73’s.

On a day day for the Irish, Royal Dublin’s Patrick Devine will continue his battle for a dream place in The Open today after thunder and lightning delayed his qualifying bid at Littlestone.

Amateur Simon Ward is one of 288 players chasing 12 spots in the Open Championship at four Local Final Qualifying venues next Tuesday. Credit: Jenny Matthews/golffile.ieChallenge Tour player Colm Moriarty will lead a seven-strong Irish challenge bidding for just 12 spots in the Open Championship at Sandwich when 36-hole Local Final Qualifying takes place at four venues in Kent next Tuesday.

The Glasson touring professional, who was tied for 12th entering today’s final round of the Scottish Hydro Challenge, has been drawn at Rye where County Louth amateur Simon Ward will also tee it up in the 72-man field seeking one of three qualifying places on offer at each venue.

Niall O’Briain finished in the money at Wensum ValleyThe Island’s David Rawluk and Limerick’s Tim Rice tied for eighth place in the opening Europro Tour event of the season at Wensum Valley.

James Hepworth won the Europro Tour event at Galgorm Castle in 2010Ireland’s up and coming stars will get a chance to strut their stuff on home soil in 2011.

Pro golf will return to Ulster next season when the Europro Tour stops off at Galgorm Castle near Ballymena from June 27 to July 1.

Paul O’Hanlon has an excellent chance of notching his second professional victory in the space of a month in the Europro Tour’s Motocaddy Masters at Wensum Valley.

Michael Collins produced a rollercoaster finish the lead the Irish hopefuls after the first round of the opening Europro Tour event of the season - the Motocaddy Masters at Wensum Valley.

And then there were four.

Stephen Grant, Barrie Trainor, Brian McElhinney,Michael Lavelle were the only Irishmen to survive the 54-hole cut as the axe fell at the First Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School (Section A).

Dreams of winning a European Tour are over for another year for Noel Fox and his brother James, Alan Murray, Ulstermen Byron Campbell and Adam Savage, Neil O Briain, Ger Hall and Danny Sugrue.

Talk about a bad day at the office.

Stephen GrantAs PQ1 (Section A) reached the halfway stage at four venues in England, Scotland, Portugal and Denmark, all 12 Irish hopefuls are outside the qualifying places.

Barrie Trainor is the best of the bunch but a second round 78 at Dundonald Links relegated the Warrenpoint man from fifth to tied 23rd,  one stroke outside the top 20 who will progress to stage two from that venue after four rounds.