EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL
FIRST STAGE ROUND-UP

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

A stunning nine under par 63 at Fleesensee Golf and Country Club in Germany lifted Denmark’s Kasper Linnet Jorgensen four strokes clear of the field at the halfway stage of The European Tour Qualifying School First Stage (Section A)
Jorgensen, who finished joint eighth in the Russian Open Golf Championship in August, moved clear of compatriot Knud Storgaard and Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer, who share second place on nine under par 135 following rounds of 68 and 67 respectively. The top 26 players after four rounds will progress to the Qualifying School Second Stage.
At The Oxfordshire in England, three players who narrowly lost to the Americans in the Walker Cup on Sunday at Royal Co. Down, are in action vying for a finish in the top 27 which will ensure safe passage through to the Second Stage.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is faring the best of the three as he lies in joint ninth place after a round of 67 took him to 137 and four shots off the lead held by England’s Matthew Morris and Welshman Alex Smith. Scotland's Lloyd Saltman is on the cusp in a share of 27th place after adding a 69 to his opening 72 to lie on 141, three under par, but Llewellyn Matthews of Wales has it all to do to climb from his halfway position of joint 80th after a second round 73 following his opening 77.
There was also some excitement for 24 year old Gregg Blainey, an English amateur from Bearwood Lakes, Wokingham, who had a hole-in-one at the second, holing out from 152 yards with a nine iorn on his way to an outward nine of 30 and a round of 67 which left him in the group in joint ninth place.
Chart Hills Golf Club sees England’s Thomas Haylock leading the way after a second round 66 took him to 136, eight under par and one ahead of American Isaac Weintraub, who shot a 68. The top 27 players will progress to the Second Stage.
LEADING SCORES AFTER TWO ROUNDS
THE OXFORDSHIRE
+Leading 27 after four rounds to qualify for next stage.
Par 144 (2 x 72)
133 M Marles (Eng) 65 68, A Smith (Wal) 65 68.
134 T Charamba (Zim) 67 67, C Duke 9Eng) 69 65.
136 R Carter (US) 69 67, G Fox (Sco) 67 69, B Grace (SAf) 69 67, D Wood (Eng) 66 70.
Other scores:
137 R McIlroy (NIr) (am) 70 67 (jt 9th).
138 P Doherty (Sco) 71 67 (jt 16th).
141 L Saltman (Sco) 72 69 (jt 27th).
142 D Patrick (Sco) 69 73 (jt 33rd).
143 K McAlpine (Sco) (am) 76 67 (jt 38th).
144 K McNicoll (Sco) (am) 71 73 (jt 46th).
145 S G Mackie (Sco) 70 75, R Ramsay (Sco) 74 71 (jt 51st).
152 C Nicoll (Sco) 77 75 (jt 86th of 107 players).

CHART HILLS
+Leading 27 to qualify for next stage after 72 holes.
Par 144 (2 x 72)
136 T Haylock (Eng) 70 66.
137 I Weintraub (US) 69 68.
138 A Smith (Eng) 71 67, D Stewart (Sco) 70 68.
Other Scots' scores:
144 G Gordon 76 68 (jt 29th).
145 G Lornie 72 73 (jt 35th).
148 P McKechnie 74 74 (jt 59th).
156 J Taylor 76 80 (94th of 104 players).