JOHN GALLAGHER LYING JOINT THIRD AT Q SCHOOL

Swanston's John Gallagher improved by a couple of shots with a four-under-par 68 and a six-under 36-hole aggregate of 138 in the PGA EuroPro Tour Final Qualifying School at Frilford Heath GC, Oxfordshire. Gallagher will start the final round in joint third place, six shots behind the twin leaders on 12-under-par, Englishman Jack Senior, the Walker Cup hero from Heysham, Lancashire, and Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford GC). Senior has shot a pair of 66s, Hatton 65-67. Only five Scots in all were among the leading 114 players and ties who beat the cut at five-over 149 to play the last 18 holes which will decide the "pecking order" for playing rights on the tour in 2012. They were John Henry (Clydebank and District), jt 16th on 141 (70-71), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) (72-71) and Myles Cunningham (Longniddry) (72-71), joint 29th on 143), and former Scottish amateur champion and Walker Cup player Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) who is lying joint 64th on 146 after rounds of 72-74. The Scots who failed included Duddingston's James McGhee by a single shot on 150 (76-74), Mark Rae (Alyth) on 151 (72-79), Nairn Dunbar's Malcolm Isaacs on 152 (73-79), Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) on 155 (81-74) and Scott Young (Turnhouse) on 161 (77-84) and Ellon's Ross Cameron on 154 (75-79). SECOND-ROUND LEADERS Par 144 (2x72) 132 Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford) 65 67, Jack Senior (Heysham) 66 66. 138 John Gallagher (Swanston) 70 68, Paul Cutler (Portstewart) 71 67. 139 Ruaidhri McGee (Ireland) 69 70, Mark Smith (Erewash Valley) 69 70, Tommy King (England) 64 75, Nick Pateman (England) 68 71. OTHER SCOTTISH QUALIFIERS 141 John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 70 71 (T16). 143 Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 72 71, Myles Cunningham (Longniddry) 72 71 (T29). 146 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 72 74 (T64). SCOTS WHO MISSED THE CUT (149 or better qualified) 150 James McGhee (Duddingston) 76 74. 151 Mark Rae (Alyth) 7279. 151 Clarke Lutton (Qatar) 75 76, Tom Higson (unatt) 79 72. 152 Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 73 79. 154 Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) 75 79, Gavin Wilson (Ladybank) (am) 73 81. 155 Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 81 74. 161 Scott Young (Turnhouse) 77 84.