European Tour Qualifying

Clutch of Scots still in with a chance of

making progress from Stage 2 in Spain

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
There’s just one more round left to secure a place at the European Tour Final Qualifying Stage with the lucky 74 players from four courses across Spain progressing through to PGA Golf de Catalunya for the start of the six-round final hurdle.
A total of 304 players set out at the Hacienda Del Alamo, Costa Ballena Club de Golf, Arcos Gardens and Sherry Golf Jerez with one goal in mind – namely to be one of the 74 players bound for Girona.
And with 18 holes on Monday remaining, the goal is still very much alive for so many hopefuls.
Ryan Blaum of America continues to set the pace at Hacienda del Alamo, a third round 67 taking him to 16 under par 200 and two clear of Germany’s Stephan Gross junior.
The four Scots at the Murcia venue in the south-east of Spain have little or no chance of progressing to the Final Q School. Paul O'Hara is joint 52nd with 74-70-74 for 218; Mark Hillson, still an amateur, and Tartan Tour pro Stephen Gray are joint 64th on 221. Hillson's rounds have 79-69-73, Gray's 75-73-73 and Lee Harper is on 223 with scores of 72-78-73.
The leading 19 players after the four rounds of the Second Stage at Hacienda Del Alamo will progress through to the Final Stage, which takes place over six rounds at PGA Golf de Catalunya from November 28 – December 3.
Alvaro Velasco of Spain’s leads the field at Costa Ballena Club de Golf at 13 under par after a round of 68, two ahead of Frenchman Edouard Dubois, Swede Fredrik Ohlsson and England’s James Ruth. The leading 18 players on Monday will progress to the Final Stage.
Tartan Tour man Chris Kelly (Cawder) is handily placed at this venue - The Coast of the Whales - on eight-under 208 with scores of 69-69-70.
The same can't be said for Northern Open champion Craig Lee who played on the European Tour this past season. He has scored 71-72-73 for level par 216 and a share of 54th place.
Former Scottish champion Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) is sharing 60th position on 218 with 73-77-68.
Two players share the lead at Arcos Gardens, South African Michiel Bothma and former European Tour champion Santiago Luna of Spain. There are 19 spots available from the field of 77.
Good prospects of two, possibly three Scots advancing from this venue. Banchory-attached Greig Hutcheon, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is in joint seventh position on 212 with steady scores of 72, 69 and 71.
Former Scottish amateur champion George Murray from Anstruther is joint 12th on 213 with scores of 70, 71 and 72.
Aberdonian Scott Henderson, who played on the European Tour for at least a couple of years, winning the Rookie of the Year performance, is a borderline case on 215 (jt 21st) with scores of 72, 72 and 71. A sub-70 score would do the trick in the final round for Scotty.
The Doherty brothers look to have left themselves with too much ground to make up. Jack is joint 43rd on 219 (72-75-72) and his younger sibling Paul is joint 51st with 72-74-75 for 221.
US-based Elgin exile Joel Hendry is not going to make it from joint 56th place on 223 with ever-worsening scores of 70-75-78.
Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll found something more akin to his "A" game with a third-round 71 at Arcos Gardens but a pair of 76s to start with virtually killed off his hopes. Keir is joint 56th on 223.
At Sherry Golf Jerez, England’s Phillip Archer is on course to reach the finals as he leads the way at 11 under par 205 after a third round of 68 as the top 18 players will move onto the final stage.
Definite chance of a Glasgow-born Scot, Alan McLean, getting through from this venue. Alan has scored 69, 71 and 71 to be sharing fifth place on 211.
Another Glaswegian, Scott Jamieson, is joint 22nd on 215 with scores of 71, 71, 73. If he could break 70 at the last time of asking, that would probably be enough to slide him into the top 18.
Much the same could be said about the prospects of Lothians man Mark Kerr. He is sharing 27th place but has been playing steadily to produce rounds of 72-73-72. Sink a few putts, Mark and you could yet make it.
Incidentally, the R&A's world top-ranked amateur, France's Victor Dubuisson, is 34th at this venue with scores of 68, 76 and 74 for 218.
Former double Scottish amateur champion Kevin McAlpine from Alyth is up against it in joint 35th place on 219 with scores of 72, 74 and 73, while Walker Cup man and world team champion player Wallace Booth from Comrie is unlikely to make it to the big-time at the first attempt. Wallace has scored 71-77-72 for a share of 41st place on 220.
On the same mark is Raymond Russell from Prestonpans who had a cataclysmic third-round 80 after earlier rounds of 69 and 72.
Gourock man Chris Doak, who played on the European Tour this past year, is not going to make it back this time round. He has "gone" with scores of 72, 78 and 76 to be sharing 72nd place on 226.

THIRD-ROUND SCOREBOARD AT FOUR VENUES

ARCOS GARDENS
Par 216 (3x72). Leading 19 to qualify
206 Michael Bothma (SAf) 68 65 73, Santiago Luna (Spa) 66 69 71.
209 Wil Besseling (Net) 68 70 71, Oliver Whiteley (Eng) 65 72 72.
210 Victor Almstrom (Swe) 70 70 70.
211 Lloyd Kennedy (Eng) 70 69 72.
212 Matthew Bliss (Can) 70 68 74, Greig Hutcheon (Sco) 72 69 71, Nicolas Meitinger (Ger) 69 71 72, Graham Povey (Eng) 71 66 75 (jt 7th)
213 Ian Keenan (Eng) 70 70 73, Mikko Korhonen (Fra) 70 72 71, George Murray (Sco) 70 71 72, James Watts (Eng) (am) 70 75 68 (jt 12th).
214 Oliver Bekker (SAf) 72 71 71, Rory Hie (Ina) 69 75 70, John Mellor (Eng) 71 73 70, Jason Powell (Eng) 71 71 72, Julio Zapata (Arg) 71 71 71 (jt 16th).
Selected scores:
215 Scott Henderson (Sco) 71 72 71, Kyron Sullivan Wal) 70 72 73 (jt 21st).
219 Jack Doherty (Sco) 72 75 72 (jt 43rd).
221 Paul Doherty (Sco) 72 74 75, Gareth Shaw (NIr) 70 76 75 (jt 51st).
223 Joel Hendry (Sco) 70 75 78, Keir McNicoll (Sco) 76 76 71 (jt 56th).

COSTA BALLENA
Par 216 (3x72). Leading 18 to qualify
203 Alvara Velasco (Spa) 69 66 68
205 Edouard Dubois (Fra) 66 67 72, Fredrik Ohlsson (Swe) 71 69 65, James Ruth (Eng) 66 67 72.
206 Mark F Hastrup (Den) 68 70 68, James McLean (Aus) 71 689 67, Louis Moolman (SAf) 68 68 70, Steven Tiley (Eng) 72 68 66.
207 Jesus Maria Arruti (Spa) 65 70 72, Paul Eales (Eng) 67 69 71, Marius Thorp (Nor) 68 70 69, Guillaume Watremez (Bel) 70 70 67.
208 Jamie Abbott (Eng) (am) 69 69 70, Floris De Vries (Net) 69 70 69, Garry Houston (Wal) 71 67 70, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 71 70 67, Chris Kelly (Sco) 69 69 70 (jt 13th).
209 Matt Haines (Eng) (am) 69 68 72, Ben Mason (Eng) 69 70 70, Marco Soffietti (Ita) 72 67 76 (jt 18th).
Selected scores:
210 Sam Hutsby (Eng) 71 68 71, Niall Kearney (Ire) (am) 70 73 67 (jt 21st).
211 John Kelly (Ire) 72 71 68 (jt 23rd).
216 Craig Lee (Sco) 71 72 73 (jt 54th).
218 Jason McCreadie (Sco) 73 77 68 (jt 60th).

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO
Par 216 Leading 19 to qualify
200 Ryan Blaum (US) 68 65 67.
202 Stephan Gross (Ger) 64 73 65.
207 Thorbjorn Olesen (Den) 72 65 70.
209 Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 71 69 69, Federico Colombo (Ita) 72 69 68, Mattias Eiasson (Swe) 71 69 69, Charlie Ford (Eng) 68 72 69, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Thi) 70 70 68.
210 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 70 72 68, Ghislain (Rosier (Fra) 71 70 69.
211 George Coetzee (SAf) 72 68 72, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 71 69 71.
212 Christope Brazillier (Fra) 72 71 69, Jonathan Caldwell (NIr) 69 72 71, Tim Dykes (Wal) 69 70 73, James Kamte (SAf) 72 71 69, Michael Lowe (Eng) 74 71 67, Andres Maestroni (Ita) 69 73 70, Steen Ottosen (Den) 73 69 70, Chris Paisley (Eng) (am) 69 69 74 (jt 15th).
Selected scores:
218 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 74 70 74 (jt 52nd).
221 Mark Hillson (Sco) (am) 79 69 73, Stephen Gray (Sco) 75 73 73 (jt 64th).
223 Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 72 78 73.

SHERRY GOLF JEREZ
Par 216 (3x72). Leading 18 to qualify
205 Philip Archer (Eng) 68 69 68.
208 Manuel Quiros (Spa) 69 69 70.
210 Jamie Elson (Eng) 72 73 65, Thomas Norret (Den) 69 69 72.
211 Julien Clement (Swi) 75 67 69, Eduardo De La Riva (Spa) 68 68 75, Alan McLean (Sco) 69 71 71.
212 Max Glavert (Ger) 71 70 71, Anthony Snubeck (Fra) 71 70 71, Tim Stewart (Aus) 68 72 72, Simon Thornton (Ire) 68 73 71.
213 Johan Axgren (Swe) 66 75 72, Jason Knutzon (US) 67 71 75, Colm Moriarty (Ire) 69 70 74, Paulo Pinto (Arg) 64 74 75, Iain Pyman (Eng) 69 70, 74, Martin Rominger (Swi) 67 76 70, Elliot Saltman (Sco) 73 69 72, Nicolas Sulozer (Swi) 70 69 74 (jt 12th).
214 Lasse Jensen (Den) 70 73 71, Ally Mellor (Eng) 68 73 73 (jt 20th).
215 Scott Barr (Aus) 71 72 72, Scott Jamieson (Sco) 71 71 73, Russell Subert (US) 70 74 71 (jt 22nd).
Selected scores:
217 Mark Kerr (Sco) 72 73 72 (jt 27th).
218 Victor Dubuisson (Fra) (am) 68 76 74 (34th).
219 Kevin McAlpine (Sco) 72 74 73 (jt 35th).
220 Wallace Booth (Sco) 71 77 72, Raymond Russell (Sco) 69 71 80 (jt 41st).
226 Chris Doak (Sco) 72 78 76 (jt 72nd).