European Seniors Tour Qualifying School on Algarve

Mann loses ground but Martin, Smith improve

By STEVE TODD, European Seniors Tour Press Officer
John Harrison established a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School as he strengthened his chances of making it a family hat-trick on the Senior Tour.
Both of Harrison’s elder brothers Philip and Steve have played on the Senior Tour and a second consecutive 68 at Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta course on Portugal's Algarve today gave the 49 year old an opportunity to follow in their footsteps.
Harrison, who turns 50 in May, had two birdies in his first three holes after starting on the tenth tee but dropped back-to-back shots on the 13th hole, when he plugged his ball in the bunker, and the 14th hole.
After a birdie on the 16th hole, and missed chances on the first and second holes, Harrison rolled in a confidence boosting 18ft par putt on the fourth hole before nearly acing the fifth when his tee shot landed a foot from the pin.
The Englishman, who played on The European Tour in the mid 1980s, tapped in for birdie and then picked up another shot on the next hole to move one shot clear of American Mike Donald and joint overnight leader Ricky Willison, of England, on six under par.
Harrison said: “I’m really pleased with two rounds of 68. I would have taken that before I started. It’s the first time that I’ve been to Qualifying School and there’s some pressure out there – it can be stressful. I had a couple of bad shots and you have to be careful to make sure you don’t let that affect you.
“I’ve always fancied coming on to the Senior Tour and I’ve been playing a lot more in the last couple of years to get ready for it,” added the club professional at Matfen Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne. “Both of my brothers have played on the Senior Tour and it would be great to do it too. I’ve been building up to it.”
An eagle 3 on the 534yd par-5 10th helped Donald to his three under par round of 68, while Willison carded four birdies and three bogeys in his up and down round of 70.
Both players are on five under par and, after his opening round 67 in Portugal, Willison was pleased to end his round with a morale boosting birdie.
“I holed a five foot putt for birdie on the last so it was good to finish like that after a tricky spell near the end of the round when I dropped shots on the fifth and seventh holes,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m swinging that well and I’m not playing too aggressively, which I will need to if I’m to make it into the top six, but I’m in a good position.”
Willison’s joint overnight leader Torsten Giedeon is one stroke further back on four under par after a level par 71, which included a double bogey 6 on the fourth hole. He is joined by Englishman Peter Allan and Canadian Graham Gunn, who signed for rounds of 68 and 67 respectively.
There will be a cut after Wednesday’s third round, with those players within eight shots of 14th place progressing through to the final round where they will compete for the 14 cards on offer, six securing full playing privileges and positions seven to 14 gaining conditional starts.
Fraser Mann (Musselburgh) is still the best placed of the six Scots in the field but he lost vital ground on the leaders with a second-round 74 for 143. Mann is lying 22nd which leaves him with a lot of ground to make up over the final 36 holes.
Dundee's Steve Martin improved considerably with a 68 for 144 but, like Mann, he will needed two further scores in the 60s to have a chance of making the top six or 14.
Peter Smith from Aberdeen was more like his old self with a 70 - an improvement of six strokes - but he is even worse placed than Mann and Martin. On 146, the former Northern Open champion has to aim even higher than Mann and Martin to close a big gap.
SECOND-ROUND SCORES
Par 142 (2x71)
136 J Harrison (Eng) 68 68,
137 R Willison (Eng) 67 70, M Donald (USA) 69 68,
138 G Gunn (Can) 71 67, P Allan (Eng) 70 68, T Giedeon (Ger) 67 71,
139 G Davies (Wal) 68 71, J Stuart (USA) 68 71, A Johnsson (Swe) 69 70, A Sowa (Arg) 68 71, J Gould (Eng) 71 68,
140 J King (Eng) 70 70, J Sallat (Fra) 68 72, G Banister (Aus) 71 69,
141 S Cipa (Eng) 71 70, G Towne (USA) 69 72, M Briggs (Eng) 72 69, B Hardwick (Can) 72 69, P Oakley (USA) 69 72, A Fernandez (Chi) 73 68,
142 G Ryall (Eng) 70 72, T Burgoyne (Swe) 69 73,
143 J Stansberry (USA) 74 69, I Mosey (Eng) 75 68, M Williams (Zim) 68 75, F Mann (Sco) 69 74, P Dahlberg (Swe) 69 74,
144 S Martin (Sco) 76 68, D Johnson (USA) 69 75, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 75 69, K Worm (am) (Den) 74 70, J Mills (am) (Eng) 73 71,
145 M Belsham (Eng) 73 72, J Davila (Esp) 72 73, C Acutis (Ita) 73 72, M Lord (Eng) 71 74,
146 M Gallagher (Eng) 72 74, J Seifert (Cze) 72 74, M Moreno (Esp) 73 73, P Smith (Sco) 76 70, M Aparicio (Esp) 68 78, V Bueno (Chi) 75 71, S Shields (am) (Eng) 74 72,
147 C Grenier (Aut) 72 75, R Morris (Eng) 71 76, M Kierstenson (Eng) 74 73, M Söderberg (Swe) 71 76, R Masters (Eng) 73 74, F Dhondt (Bel) 74 73,
148 J Hall (Eng) 73 75, D Narveson (USA) 75 73, B Stevens (Eng) 75 73, M Thomas (USA) 77 71, D Rios (Arg) 74 74, D Young (Eng) 72 76, D Williamson (Sco) 71 77, S East (Eng) (am) 76 72,
149 M Miller (Sco) 74 75,
150 B McColl (Sco) 75 75, J Laforce (Can) 78 72, T Planchin (Fra) 76 74, J Ackerman (RSA) 75 75, N Clarke (RSA) 74 76, F Regard (Fra) 75 75, D Regan (Eng) 77 73,
151 J Hoskison (Eng) 75 76, E Alessandrini (Ita) 76 75, T Price (Wal) 76 75, D Hammett (USA) 75 76, F Kiddie (Eng) 76 75,
152 L Cooper (USA) 79 73, T Jones (USA) 75 77, P Dugeny (Fra) 75 77, S Bennett (Eng) 78 74,
153 V Garcia (Esp) 73 80, S Stull (USA) 74 79, C Linstead (Eng) 80 73, R Uhlir (USA) 73 80,
154 M Deeley (Eng) 76 78,
156 G Krause (Eng) 76 80,
161 S Bonham (Eng) 78 83,