FORSYTH, DOHERTY SET FOR PASS MARKS AT Q SCHOOL
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
It's all or nothing for Doug McGuigan and Andrew McArthur in Friday/s six and final round of the marathon European Tour QuaIifying School at PGA Catalunya nr Girona, north-east Spain.
While Alastair Forsyth (currently joint 10th) and Jack Doherty (jt 22nd) know that if they can hold these positions over the last day,
they will be among the leading 25 and ties who will be rewarded with playing rights on the major European circuit in 2014.
But for Glaswegians McGuigan and McArthur, both on the joint 40th mark, it's a do-or-die scenario. They need sub-70 scores over the par-72 Stadium Course to be sure of joining the elite.
At the moment McGuigan and McArthur are six-under-par through 90 holes. The leading 25 and ties after five rounds are on eight-under. So they will have to have a go for birdies, and lots of them, because a par 72 will not gain them promotion.
Former Scottish amateur champion McArthur needs a repeat of the four-under 68 he shot today for a running tally of 350. Remarkably, he has had at least one birdie 2 on each of his five scorecards and in the fifth round he had a pair of 2s, a repeat of his second round performance.
Clydeside-born McGuigan, who lives and golfs in South Africa, had an eagle 3 at the 15th in his fifth-round 70 for 350.
Forsyth had a very steady 71 for 11-under-par 345 - 10 shots behind the Spanish leader, Carlos del Moral who had a 65 for 335.
Forsyth had two birdies and one bogey, his best round of the five so far as far as dropping shots to par is concerned.
Doherty had five birdies but shot a one-over 73 for 348 because his mistakes are outweighing his gains. He had a double bogey 6 at the 13th and four bogeys. His first two rounds were his best. He needs to recapture that kind of form if he is not to slip into the danger zone over the final 18 holes.
EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
PGA Catalunya Golf Resort, near Girona, north-east Spain
LEADING FIFTH ROUND TOTALS
Par 356 (2x70, 3x72)
335 Carlos del Moral (Spa) 67 71 69 63 65
339 Fabrizio Zanotti (Para) 66 70 67 68 68
343 Marco Crespi (Ita) 71 70 67 68 67, James Morrison (Eng) 72 67 63 70 71
SELECTED SCORES
345 Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 65 70 70 69 71 (T10)
348 Jack Doherty (Sco) 68 70 66 71 73 (T22)
350 Doug McGuigan (Sco) 71 68 71 70 70, Andrew McArthur (Sco) 66 73 70 73 68 (T40).
REPORT AND ALL THE SCORES FROM
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Love was in the air at The European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage as Carlos Del Moral, with the help of some complimentary words from his caddie girlfriend, soared to a commanding four shot lead thanks to a seven under par fifth round of 67.
The Spaniard moved to 21 under par after another stupendous round which included no less than eight birdies, thereby virtually securing his return to The European Tour and a fourth promotion via the Qualifying School in the last six years.
With the top 25 and ties at the conclusion of the final round earning European Tour status, the dreams of many were still hanging in the balance in Girona, north-east Spain.
The cut-off point for promotion sits at eight under par currently, with six former European Tour winners including James Morrison, Mikael Lundberg and Alastair Forsyth all inside the mark while former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson is just one shot outside the crucial number heading into the final round.
Once more, though, it was Del Moral who stole the show as he followed up a stunning fourth round 63 by again claiming the best round of the day over a Stadium Course which he has played three times this week, gaining 17 shots to par along the way.
The 28 year old has his girlfriend Karin Dedering on the bag this week and he believes that she has played a huge part in his success as he looks forward to a full season on The 2014 Race to Dubai.
Swedish-born Karin is 27 and a graduate of Georgia State for whom she played on the US women's college circuit.
"I have struggled a lot this year so I decided that no one knows me better than my girlfriend and she's a great golfer too, a scratch handicap, so she knows what she is doing," said the Qualifying School specialist.
"She is very supportive and it has been very emotional for both of us, first of all playing for just a Challenge Tour category at Second Stage and then here for a European Tour card, so hopefully we can have an unforgettable finish tomorrow.
"She is a great putter and every time I have a doubt I ask her. She knows my game and my distances very well and she is doing great as a caddie.
"She gives me that emotional support too and if I have a bogey she might come and say, 'you're cute', so it cheers me up. It's really nice to have her out there."
Four shots back in second place is Chile's Fabrizio Zanotti, who signed for a four under par 68 to move to 17 under par and also virtually guarantee a return to The European Tour, having finished 140th in The 2013 Race to Dubai.
While 32 players currently sit inside the cut mark for a European Tour card on eight under par or better, there are likely to be twists and turns aplenty in what is always one of golf's most dramatic finales.
A number of young guns are chasing their first shot at European Tour stardom, including young Irishman Kevin Phelan, who starred in the 2013 Walker Cup as well as the US Open Championship in June, where he briefly flirted with the top of the leaderboard before making the cut.
Phelan is currently one shot off the mark on seven under par after a round of 70 while promising 21 year old Belgian and protégé of Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Pieters, is on course for a rookie season on The European Tour after a four under par 68 moved him to tied tenth on 11 under.
ALL THE FIVE-ROUND TOTALS
335 C Del Moral (Esp) 67 71 69 63 65
339 F Zanotti (Par) 66 70 67 68 68
343 J Morrison (Eng) 72 67 63 70 71; M Crespi (Ita) 71 70 67 68 67; 344 G Stal (Fra) 71 68 69 68 68; A Saddier (Fra) 71 66 69 71 67; M Lundberg (Swe) 69 68 70 71 66; S Manley (Wal) 68 71 67 69 69; J Hahn (USA) 66 66 73 68 71
; 345 A Gee (Eng) 66 70 71 69 69; W Ormsby (Aus) 69 67 70 69 70; P Sjöland (Swe) 66 72 67 67 73; L Bjerregaard (Den) 65 70 69 69 72; B Paolini (USA) 70 71 68 64 72; A Forsyth (Sco) 65 70 70 69 71; T Pieters (Bel) 64 73 72 68 68; 346 E Espana (Fra) 62 74 69 67 74; 347 A Hartø (Den) 67 70 69 72 69; J Dantorp (Swe) 66 68 68 72 73; D Brooks (Eng) 65 71 69 66 76; O Stark (Swe) 66 71 67 71 72
348 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 68 71 69 71; M Tullo (Chi) 67 70 68 71 72; E Goya (Arg) 66 70 67 73 72; J Doherty (Sco) 68 70 66 71 73; J Knutzon (USA) 70 69 71 69 69; E Kofstad (Nor) 70 68 67 72 71; S Wakefield (Eng) 69 68 67 69 75; J Heath (Eng) 69 71 70 69 69; C Paisley (Eng) 67 70 70 70 71; M Korhonen (Fin) 69 71 68 70 70; C Arendell (USA) 72 70 71 65 70
349 T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 69 68 71 69; M Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 67 71 72; D Kemmer (USA) 67 70 67 72 73; K Phelan (Irl) 73 67 68 71 70; N Quintarelli (Ita) 68 74 71 62 74; O Wilson (Eng) 69 67 74 68 71; R Karlberg (Swe) 66 77 72 65 69
350 A McArthur (Sco) 66 73 70 73 68; D McGuigan (Sco) 71 68 71 70 70; D Im (USA) 70 73 72 64 71; C Hanson (Eng) 66 77 71 66 70; T Lee (USA) 64 75 73 64 74
351 A Dodt (Aus) 71 71 72 67 70; C Bouniol (Fra) 73 70 71 66 71; J Barnes (Eng) 66 72 72 69 72; B Dredge (Wal) 68 71 70 68 74; H Leon (Chi) 68 70 70 72 71; B Stone (RSA) 69 66 70 72 74
352 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 67 73 69 71 72; Z Scotland (Eng) 71 74 69 67 71; A Johnston (Eng) 67 73 69 71 72; B Henson (USA) 71 70 70 68 73; A Marshall (Eng) 71 70 70 69 72; R Finch (Eng) 64 71 70 72 75; M Hensby (Aus) 69 77 69 67 70; J Lando Casanova (Fra) 76 65 69 70 72; G Lockerbie (Eng) 72 65 67 73 75; M Grönberg (Swe) 75 67 73 66 71
353 M Jonzon (Swe) 64 72 70 71 76; O Fisher (Eng) 72 69 72 67 73
355 J Huldahl (Den) 72 68 70 72 73; J Elson (Eng) 64 74 72 72 73; B Evans (Eng) 71 77 69 65 73; K Horne (RSA) 72 68 72 68 75; 356 L Gagli (Ita) 74 66 72 70 74; D Higgins (Irl) 67 73 72 70 74; K Pratt (Aus) 71 66 70 75 74
357 R McGee (Irl) 70 66 72 74 75; C Shinkwin (am) (Eng) 68 70 71 73 75
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
It's all or nothing for Doug McGuigan and Andrew McArthur in Friday/s six and final round of the marathon European Tour QuaIifying School at PGA Catalunya nr Girona, north-east Spain.
While Alastair Forsyth (currently joint 10th) and Jack Doherty (jt 22nd) know that if they can hold these positions over the last day,
they will be among the leading 25 and ties who will be rewarded with playing rights on the major European circuit in 2014.
But for Glaswegians McGuigan and McArthur, both on the joint 40th mark, it's a do-or-die scenario. They need sub-70 scores over the par-72 Stadium Course to be sure of joining the elite.
At the moment McGuigan and McArthur are six-under-par through 90 holes. The leading 25 and ties after five rounds are on eight-under. So they will have to have a go for birdies, and lots of them, because a par 72 will not gain them promotion.
Former Scottish amateur champion McArthur needs a repeat of the four-under 68 he shot today for a running tally of 350. Remarkably, he has had at least one birdie 2 on each of his five scorecards and in the fifth round he had a pair of 2s, a repeat of his second round performance.
Clydeside-born McGuigan, who lives and golfs in South Africa, had an eagle 3 at the 15th in his fifth-round 70 for 350.
Forsyth had a very steady 71 for 11-under-par 345 - 10 shots behind the Spanish leader, Carlos del Moral who had a 65 for 335.
Forsyth had two birdies and one bogey, his best round of the five so far as far as dropping shots to par is concerned.
Doherty had five birdies but shot a one-over 73 for 348 because his mistakes are outweighing his gains. He had a double bogey 6 at the 13th and four bogeys. His first two rounds were his best. He needs to recapture that kind of form if he is not to slip into the danger zone over the final 18 holes.
EUROPEAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
PGA Catalunya Golf Resort, near Girona, north-east Spain
LEADING FIFTH ROUND TOTALS
Par 356 (2x70, 3x72)
335 Carlos del Moral (Spa) 67 71 69 63 65
339 Fabrizio Zanotti (Para) 66 70 67 68 68
343 Marco Crespi (Ita) 71 70 67 68 67, James Morrison (Eng) 72 67 63 70 71
SELECTED SCORES
345 Alastair Forsyth (Sco) 65 70 70 69 71 (T10)
348 Jack Doherty (Sco) 68 70 66 71 73 (T22)
350 Doug McGuigan (Sco) 71 68 71 70 70, Andrew McArthur (Sco) 66 73 70 73 68 (T40).
Tournament leader Carlos Del Moral from Spain and his caddie-girlfriend. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)
REPORT AND ALL THE SCORES FROM
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Love was in the air at The European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage as Carlos Del Moral, with the help of some complimentary words from his caddie girlfriend, soared to a commanding four shot lead thanks to a seven under par fifth round of 67.
The Spaniard moved to 21 under par after another stupendous round which included no less than eight birdies, thereby virtually securing his return to The European Tour and a fourth promotion via the Qualifying School in the last six years.
With the top 25 and ties at the conclusion of the final round earning European Tour status, the dreams of many were still hanging in the balance in Girona, north-east Spain.
The cut-off point for promotion sits at eight under par currently, with six former European Tour winners including James Morrison, Mikael Lundberg and Alastair Forsyth all inside the mark while former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson is just one shot outside the crucial number heading into the final round.
Once more, though, it was Del Moral who stole the show as he followed up a stunning fourth round 63 by again claiming the best round of the day over a Stadium Course which he has played three times this week, gaining 17 shots to par along the way.
The 28 year old has his girlfriend Karin Dedering on the bag this week and he believes that she has played a huge part in his success as he looks forward to a full season on The 2014 Race to Dubai.
Swedish-born Karin is 27 and a graduate of Georgia State for whom she played on the US women's college circuit.
"I have struggled a lot this year so I decided that no one knows me better than my girlfriend and she's a great golfer too, a scratch handicap, so she knows what she is doing," said the Qualifying School specialist.
"She is very supportive and it has been very emotional for both of us, first of all playing for just a Challenge Tour category at Second Stage and then here for a European Tour card, so hopefully we can have an unforgettable finish tomorrow.
"She is a great putter and every time I have a doubt I ask her. She knows my game and my distances very well and she is doing great as a caddie.
"She gives me that emotional support too and if I have a bogey she might come and say, 'you're cute', so it cheers me up. It's really nice to have her out there."
Four shots back in second place is Chile's Fabrizio Zanotti, who signed for a four under par 68 to move to 17 under par and also virtually guarantee a return to The European Tour, having finished 140th in The 2013 Race to Dubai.
While 32 players currently sit inside the cut mark for a European Tour card on eight under par or better, there are likely to be twists and turns aplenty in what is always one of golf's most dramatic finales.
A number of young guns are chasing their first shot at European Tour stardom, including young Irishman Kevin Phelan, who starred in the 2013 Walker Cup as well as the US Open Championship in June, where he briefly flirted with the top of the leaderboard before making the cut.
Phelan is currently one shot off the mark on seven under par after a round of 70 while promising 21 year old Belgian and protégé of Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Pieters, is on course for a rookie season on The European Tour after a four under par 68 moved him to tied tenth on 11 under.
ALL THE FIVE-ROUND TOTALS
335 C Del Moral (Esp) 67 71 69 63 65
339 F Zanotti (Par) 66 70 67 68 68
343 J Morrison (Eng) 72 67 63 70 71; M Crespi (Ita) 71 70 67 68 67; 344 G Stal (Fra) 71 68 69 68 68; A Saddier (Fra) 71 66 69 71 67; M Lundberg (Swe) 69 68 70 71 66; S Manley (Wal) 68 71 67 69 69; J Hahn (USA) 66 66 73 68 71
; 345 A Gee (Eng) 66 70 71 69 69; W Ormsby (Aus) 69 67 70 69 70; P Sjöland (Swe) 66 72 67 67 73; L Bjerregaard (Den) 65 70 69 69 72; B Paolini (USA) 70 71 68 64 72; A Forsyth (Sco) 65 70 70 69 71; T Pieters (Bel) 64 73 72 68 68; 346 E Espana (Fra) 62 74 69 67 74; 347 A Hartø (Den) 67 70 69 72 69; J Dantorp (Swe) 66 68 68 72 73; D Brooks (Eng) 65 71 69 66 76; O Stark (Swe) 66 71 67 71 72
348 F Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 68 71 69 71; M Tullo (Chi) 67 70 68 71 72; E Goya (Arg) 66 70 67 73 72; J Doherty (Sco) 68 70 66 71 73; J Knutzon (USA) 70 69 71 69 69; E Kofstad (Nor) 70 68 67 72 71; S Wakefield (Eng) 69 68 67 69 75; J Heath (Eng) 69 71 70 69 69; C Paisley (Eng) 67 70 70 70 71; M Korhonen (Fin) 69 71 68 70 70; C Arendell (USA) 72 70 71 65 70
349 T Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 69 68 71 69; M Lafeber (Ned) 71 68 67 71 72; D Kemmer (USA) 67 70 67 72 73; K Phelan (Irl) 73 67 68 71 70; N Quintarelli (Ita) 68 74 71 62 74; O Wilson (Eng) 69 67 74 68 71; R Karlberg (Swe) 66 77 72 65 69
350 A McArthur (Sco) 66 73 70 73 68; D McGuigan (Sco) 71 68 71 70 70; D Im (USA) 70 73 72 64 71; C Hanson (Eng) 66 77 71 66 70; T Lee (USA) 64 75 73 64 74
351 A Dodt (Aus) 71 71 72 67 70; C Bouniol (Fra) 73 70 71 66 71; J Barnes (Eng) 66 72 72 69 72; B Dredge (Wal) 68 71 70 68 74; H Leon (Chi) 68 70 70 72 71; B Stone (RSA) 69 66 70 72 74
352 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 67 73 69 71 72; Z Scotland (Eng) 71 74 69 67 71; A Johnston (Eng) 67 73 69 71 72; B Henson (USA) 71 70 70 68 73; A Marshall (Eng) 71 70 70 69 72; R Finch (Eng) 64 71 70 72 75; M Hensby (Aus) 69 77 69 67 70; J Lando Casanova (Fra) 76 65 69 70 72; G Lockerbie (Eng) 72 65 67 73 75; M Grönberg (Swe) 75 67 73 66 71
353 M Jonzon (Swe) 64 72 70 71 76; O Fisher (Eng) 72 69 72 67 73
355 J Huldahl (Den) 72 68 70 72 73; J Elson (Eng) 64 74 72 72 73; B Evans (Eng) 71 77 69 65 73; K Horne (RSA) 72 68 72 68 75; 356 L Gagli (Ita) 74 66 72 70 74; D Higgins (Irl) 67 73 72 70 74; K Pratt (Aus) 71 66 70 75 74
357 R McGee (Irl) 70 66 72 74 75; C Shinkwin (am) (Eng) 68 70 71 73 75
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, November 14, 2013
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