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Kevin Phelan earns a full European Tour card for the 2014 season after a final three under par round at the European Tour Final Qualifying in Girona on Friday, which earned him one of the elusive 25 places on offer at the end of day six.
The University of Florida graduate carded six birdies on The Stadium Course, three of them in the first four holes, to gather momentum on what is normally a tense final day. To add to his woes three bogeys just before and after the turn, drag him back to -1. Threatening to unravel his good work thus far.
But birdies on hole 15 and then the last ensured a three under par finish and a jump up the leader board to 16th spot at one point.
When the dust settled and all the scores were in, a five way share of 17th was good enough to secure him full playing rights for next season.
Yet despite his best efforts the final 10 under par aggregate was fifteen strokes behind of the winner, Carlos del Moral from Spain, who proved consistent from the outset this week. Rounds of 67-71-69-63-65-67 from Del Moral will serve as warning to Phelan of the many tests that lie ahead in order to keep that hard earned Tour card.
In the end Phelan was the only Irish player who get closest to that blistering pace from the Spanish winner.
The Waterford native revealed afterwards that some advice from three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington played a big part in his rapid rise from the amateur game, having been the subject of so much hype and expectation.
“I have been told a couple of times not to read anything that has been written about me,” said Phelan, the only player to have jumped from outside the cut mark on day six to claim a card. “I haven’t done that in a couple of years now so I don’t really pay any attention to expectations that are put on me, just what I put on myself.
“Harrington said it to me a while ago and my coach Mark McCumber tells me all the time. It definitely helped a lot.
“Padraig is definitely a big inspiration for me. I played a practice round with him at the US Open the first time I played it and at the Irish Open in Killarney and again at Carton House this year. He’s been very nice and very helpful and I've always looked up to him so it’s nice to get some good feedback from him. I look forward to joining him on The European Tour.”
David Higgins on the other hand will reflect on a poor run of form since his second place finish at the Open D’Italia Lindt late in the season and a chance he failed to build on with the last few events of the season. Even travelling to Perth in search of a top twenty finish to retain his card. However it was not to be and missing out by a handful of Euro.
At PGA Catalunya as the pressure increased the experienced Higgins was unable to react and completed his 14th trip to Q School in level par. And also leaves empty handed.
Friday’s card saw the Waterville man sign for a triple, double and a bogey, wiping out the hard fought gains of six birdies. Realistically though Higgins was never in contention for a top 25 finish this week after fading following his promising 67 on the first day.
It is now a well-worn route for the three time Challenge Tour winner and he will use the generous exemptions available to him this season to perhaps stage a comeback playing on the European Tour.
Ruaidhri McGee continued the downward spiral of the past two rounds with a final day 74 dropping him to 66th place.
Having won the Stage 1 in Wychwood Park in September it looked like the breakthrough was to be made this year for the Rosapenna attached golfer. And up to midweek he still looked on course for one of the automatic places.
But such is the tormented way of Q School McGee lost his momentum and once he plummeted down the leader board there was little hope of reversing matters.
However it was a very creditable performance this season from the young McGee and in time his ambition – and talent – will find reward on the European Tour.
Of those who made the grade, there were five European Tour winners - Scotsman Alastair Forsyth, who endured a roller-coaster two over par round of 74 which included three double-bogeys and five birdies before making it on the mark, Swedes Mikael Lundberg and Patrik Sjöland, as well as England’s James Morrison and Estanislao Goya of Argentina.
Some of the names to narrowly miss out included former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson, who was two shots short of the mark, and former European Tour winners Oliver Fisher of England and Welshman Bradley Dredge, who missed by three and four shots respectively.
Ten of those who qualified will be playing their rookie seasons in the top tier of European golf next season, including Phelan and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who impressed in the American collegiate circuit.
A record four USA players qualified, three of which were under the age of 25.
The winner Del Moral was delighted to become the first Spanish winner of the Final Stage since Carlos Rodiles in 2006.
“It feels very special to be the winner of this event,” said the 28 year old, who finished the week 26 under par. “It’s such a long week and after the year I have gone through it is a pay-off for all the hard work.
“Sometimes you feel like it’s all a waste but it is showing now and hopefully I can keep up the good work for the next few weeks in South Africa and for the 2014 season.”
Del Moral endured a difficult season on The European Tour last year, making just four cuts in 16 events, but he feels like his imperious victory this week will help him wipe the slate clean and start afresh, beginning at next week’s season-opening South African Open Championship hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni.
“I'm done with 2013 now,” said the Valencia native. “I want to erase the whole year in terms of results but I think I have done some great work on the basics of my swing and my mind so I think 2014 will be different and I hope to keep up the good work.”
Fabrizio Zanotti finished runner-up after a four under par final round of 68 left him on 21 under for the tournament while Italian Marco Crespi finished six shots further back in third place on 15 under.
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