ALL THE NEWS FROM THE FOUR SPANISH
VENUES FOR EUROPEAN TOUR'S
QUALIFYING SCHOOL STAGE 2

Welshman Sion Bebb, who achieved a career-best fourth in the Omega European Masters in September, got his quest to rejoin the European Tour off on the right track after an opening 65, seven under par, gave him the lead in the Qualifying School Second Stage at Sherry Golf, Jerez, Spain today.
A total of 74 qualifying places at the Final Q School at San Roque (November 15 to 20) are available to the 308 hopefuls teeing up at four courses in Spain – Costa Ballena Club de Golf, Arcos Gardens Golf Club, Sherry Golf and PGA Golf de Catalunya.
The top 30 and ties after that six-round examination at next week's Final Qualifying School will graduate to the 2008 European Tour.
Bebb finished the season in 155th place on the 2007 European Tour Order of Merit and is now looking to make a second successive graduation on his 12th Qualifying School appearance. Bebb leads Frenchman Sarel Son Houi by a shot at Sherry Golf where the top 18 will progress to the Final Stage.
Also at Sherry Golf, the Doherty brothers, Jack and Paulo, are sharing 31st place on 73 - two shots ahead of Euan Little from Portpatrick. Euan is in joint 53rd place. Worst off is Scott Henderson in joint 66th place after a 76 at Sherry Golf.
At Arcos Gardens, England’s David Dixon shot the low round of the opening day, a five under par 67, taking him two clear of Welshman Ryan Thomas., South African Michael Bothma, Finland’s Tuomas Tuovinen and England’s Matthew Cort.
Walker Cup player Lloyd Saltman was also in action at Arcos Gardens, shooting an opening par round of 72 to lie joint 17th while Gareth Maybin, who will be representing Ireland in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China in a fortnight, shot a round of 73 to lie joint 28th after the first round. The top 19 players from Arcos Gardens will go through to the Final Stage.
Maybin’s World Cup partner Michael Hoey opened his account with a three over par 75 at Costa Ballena Club de Golf where fellow Northern Irishman Damien Mooney led the way with an opening 65, seven under par. The leading 20 players from Ballena Club de Golf will tee up at San Roque next week.
Elliot Saltman did better than his younger brother Lloyd with a two-under-par 70 at Costa Ballena to be lying joint 10th. Also at this venue, Graeme Fox from West Kilbride had a 71 to be joint 19th; Edward Thomson from Largs a 72 to be joint 30th, and there were three Scots sharing 39th place on 73 - Graeme Brown from Montrose, Craig Lee of Stirling and Grantown on Spey's Duncan Stewart.
The start of Second Stage at PGA Golf de Catalunya, Girona was delayed 30 minutes due to early morning frost but when play did get underway, England’s Gareth Davies shot the low round of the day with a six under par 66 to lead Swede Petter Bocian by a stroke. The top 17 players after Saturday’s final round will move on to San Roque.
Tartan Tour pro Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) made a good start with a 69 to be joint fifth at the end of Day 1 at the Girona venue. David Drysdale had a par 72 to be joint 23rd at this venue.
LEADING SCORES

COSTA BALLENA
Par 72. 6,893yd.
65 D Mooney (NIr).
67 A Bland (Aus), J Morrison (Eng).
68 J Theunis (Bel).
69 L S James (Eng), B-T Lecuona (Fra), M Mouland (Wal), A Salto (Spa), S Scahill (NZ).
Other scores:
70 E Saltman (Sco) (jt 10th).
71 G Fox (Sco) (jt 19th).
73 G Brown (Sco), C Lee (Sco), D Stewart (Sco) (jt 39th).

ARCOS GARDENS
Par 72.
67 D Dixon (Eng).
69 M Bothma (SAf), M Cort (Eng), R Thomas (Wal), T Tuovinen (Fin).
70 A Bossert (Swi, T Fourner (Fra), M King (Eng), P Larrazabal (Spa), M Richardson (Eng).
Other score:
72 L Saltman (Sco) (jt 17th).

PGA de CATALUNYA
Par 72
66 G Davies (Eng).
67 P Bocian (Swe).
68 L Dodd (Eng), B Teilleria (Fra).
69 C Costilla (Arg), J G del Moral (Spa), J McCreadie (Sco), J Parron (Spa), S Thornton (Ire), M Tullo (Chile.
Other score:
72 D Drysdale (Sco) (jt 23rd).

SHERRY GOLF
Par 72
65 S Bebb (Wal).
66 S Son Houi (Fra).
68 M Merilainen (Fin), M Searle (Eng).
69 E Dominguez (Arg), C Farrelly (Eng), P Pinto (Arg), S Reale (Ita), M Sofietti (Ita).
Other scores:
73 J Doherty (Sco), P Doherty (Sco) (jt 31st).
75 E Little (Sco) (jt 53rd).
76 S Henderson (Sco) (jt 66th).