ONLY FIVE SCOTS IN QUALIFYING ZONE WITH ROUND TO GO IN SPAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Only five of the 18 Scots playing for their European Tour futures are in the top-20 qualifying zone with one round to go at the four Spanish venues being used for the Qualifying School Stage 2 72-hole eliminators. Tulliallan's Callum Macaulay, a former Scottish amateur champion, and Clydebank-born, Canadian resident Alan McLean are the best placed to go forward to the Final Q School six-round tournament at PGA Catalunya, Girona from December 10 to 15. Macaulay had a bogey-free six-under-par 65 (32-33)  at El Valle today for an 11-under-par tally of 202 to be lying second, five shots behind Swedish leader Joakim Lagergren. McLean is in third place on 204 after a 64 (32-32) which included no fewer than eight birdies. SGU Order of Merit winner James White (Lundin), playing as an amateur, fell out of good position down to joint 27th after a 77 (41-36) for one-over 214. The Fifer had a double bogey 6 at the eighth and bogeys at the 12th, 14th and 15th. It is expected that only the top 20 at each venue will qualify. Elliot Saltman is going well in his bid to regain is place on the European Tour. He is lying joint sixth on seven-under 206 at Las Colinas after a 67 which included an outward half of 31 with birdies at the third, fourth, seventh, eighth and ninth. Pity about the bogey at the sixth! The four other Scots at this venue have their work cut out over the final 18 holes to clear the Stage 2 hurdle. Sean McAllister is level par 213 after a 74 but such is the depth of skill at every venue that the Craigielaw youngster is only joint 37th. Chris Kelly had a 70 to be joint 51st on 216. Paul Lawrie-back Kris Nicol is joint 64th on 220 after a 72 while Mark Kerr i sharing 66th place on 221 after a 78. Scott Henry (The Carrick at Loch Lomond) and Jack Doherty (North Gailes) will advance if they can maintain their joint 14th and joint 18th positions respectively at Costa Ballena. Henry  is on six-under 210 after a sparkling 67 (34-33) which included eight birdies and a double bogey 6 at the ninth. Doherty is on 211 after repeating his Saturday one-under 71. The other Scots at this venue are up against it even though most of them are under par for the first three rounds. Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) needs to improve 10 places from joint 30th on 213 after an encouraging third-round 67. Philip McLean, the second of Paul Lawrie's team in action, is in joint 34th place after a 71 for 214. Four bogeys took the edge of an eagle and three birdies. Former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur is joint 39th after a 70 for 215. Jamie McLeary and Raymond Russell look out of it in joint 47th place on 217. McLeary had a 73 and Russell a 72 in the third round. Paul McKechnie, after an outstanding season on the Tartan Tour, has played nowhere near that form in Spain and even his best round yet, a one-under 71, left him tied for 60th place on 219. Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) and Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), the two Scots at La Manga are not in contention for a top-20 finish. Fenwick is only one over par on 220 after a 75 round the par-73 South Course but he is in joint 44th position while Dear also had a 75 to be joint 62nd on 224.   LEADING THIRD-ROUND TOTALS   COSTA BALLENA Par 216 (3x72) Yardage 6,893 203 Emiliano Grillo (Arg) 71 70 62, Thomas Norret (Den) 71 69 63. 204 Jason Levermore (Eng) 72 67 67, Sam Hutsby (Eng) 69 66 69. Scots scores: 210 Scott Henry 71 72 67 (T14). 211 Jack Doherty 69 71 71 (T18). 213 Graham Fox 73 73 67 (T30). 214 Philip McLean 70 73 71 (T34). 215 Andrew McArthur 73 72 70 (T39). 217 Jamie McLeary 73 71 73, Raymond Russell 71 74 71 (T47). 219 Paul McKechnie 74 74 71 (T60). EL VALLE Par 213 (3x71) Yardage 6,901 197 Joakim Lagergren (Swe) 63 69 65. 202 Callum Macaulay (Sco) 66 71 65. 204 Alan McLean 70 70 64. Other Scot's score: 214 James White 75 72 77 (T27). LAS COLINAS Par 213 (3x71). Yardage 6,974 200 Tim Sluiter (Net) 69 65 66. 202 Ben Evans (Eng) 69 68 65. 204 Benn Barham (Eng) 66 66 72. Scots' scores: 206 Elliot Saltman 67 72 67 (T6). 213 Sean McAllister  69 70 74 (T37). 216 Chris Kelly 72 74 70 (T51). 220 Kris Nicol 74 74 72 (T64). 221 Mark Kerr 70 73 78 (T66). LA MANGA South Course. Par 219 (3x73). Yardage 7,107 205 Graeme A Clark (Eng) 66 69 70. 206 Allan Versfeld (SAf) 66 75 65. 207 Andrea Perrino (Ita) 67 68 72. Scots' scores: 220 Neil Fenwick 73 72 75 (T44). 224 Gavin Dear 74 75 75 (T62).