Five Scots make it through to Senior Tour Q Final

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Five Scots - Albert Mackenzie, Peter Smith, Terry Burgoyne, Alan Hemsley and Ian Dougan - figured among the 63 players who progressed today from Stage 1 of the European Senior Tour Qualifying School at the Gramacho and Silves courses on the Algarve to next week's final eliminating test at Vale do Pinta for the 2011 over-50s

Mackenzie had rounds of 66 and 73 for five-under-par 139 - six shots behind the American leader at the par-72 Gramacho course, Tim Thelen (64-69).

Former Northern Open champion Peter Smith, pictured, from Udny, Aberdeenshire, made it through in joint 20th place on 145 with scores of 71 and 74.

Also at the Gramacho course, Burgoyne (78-68) and Hemsley (72-74) qualified on the limit mark of two-over 146.

Scots who did not make it at Gramacho were Duncan Williamson on 150 (72-78) and Haggs Castle club pro Campbell Elliott who had contrasting rounds of 81 and 71 for 152.

At the par-70 Silves course, a fifth Scot qualified on the limit mark of six-over 146. He was Ian Dougan who followed up a first-round 77 with a 69.

At this venue, another Scot, Iain Parker had one shot too many with scores of 75 and 72 for 147.

ADDITIONAL INFO
FROM THE EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR WEBSITE
Venuzuela’s Luis Soto led 33 qualifiers from Pestana Golf Resort’s Silves Course with a four under par aggregate total after the second and final day of the Senior Tour Qualifying School – Stage One.
Soto added a superb four under par round of 66 to his opening day 70 to finish one stroke clear of American Jeb Stuart, who signed for a round of 67.
Joint overnight leader Andrew Macdonald of England finished in a tie for third place on two under par, alongside Spain’s Manuel Moreno and Canadian Ken Tarling.
The cut-off came at six over par, with Argentina’s Alfonso Barrera – the runner-up behind Northern Ireland’s Jimmy Heggarty at the 2008 Qualifying School Final – amongst those who finished on that mark.
Meanwhile, over on the Nick Price-designed Gramacho Course, where the qualifying mark was two over par, American Tim Thelen once again dominated proceedings, leading the 30 qualifiers with an 11 under par aggregate total.
That was four shots better than England’s Matt Briggs in second place, with Scotland’s Albert McKenzie and Italian Carlo Alberto Acutis sharing third place on five under par.
The 63 players who have progressed through to next week’s Final Stage will be joined by a further 13 exempt players – including Heggarty, former European Tour Champion Stephen Bennett and World Cup winner Torsten Giedeon – at Pestana’s Vale da Pinta, to contest the 14 available cards for the 2011 European Senior Tour season.


CLICK HERE FOR FINAL TOTALS AT GRAMACHO

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL TOTALS AT SILVES