Gareth Maybin, Michael McGeady, Simon Thornton, Peter Lawrie and Kevin Phelan start the campaign to regain their playing rights on Saturday at the European Tour Final Qualifying Stage at PGA Catalunya.
The Irish contingent joins group that includes some very familiar names with Carlos del Moral, Philip Price, Kenneth Ferrie, Julien Guerrier, Michael Jonzon, Pele Edberg, Rhys Davies all in the mix.
Along with 29 players - in the field of 156 - having tasted victory on The Race to Dubai in the past – and includes five former Challenge Tour Number Ones and six of the last seven Final Qualifying Stage winners.
When play gets under way in Girona on Saturday morning the field will be required to play two rounds each on both the Tour and Stadium courses to establish the top 70 and ties who will qualify for the final 36 holes.
The closing two rounds will then be contested on the Stadium Course, recently voted the best in Spain, at the culmination of which the top 25 and ties will earn their place on The European Tour in 2015.
For Peter Lawrie it is the first time back since qualifying in 2001 and the result of some loss in consistency over the past two seasons. Which last year dragged him into the danger zone only to survive with a top twenty finish in Perth just over twelve months ago. However indifferent form this season - and too many missed - brings the Dubliner back to where it all started over a decade ago.
Gareth Maybin returns after first qualifying in 2007 and arrives in unfamiliar territory having held his card ever since. But with only two top ten finishes in 2014 and twelve missed cuts the Ballyclare golfer ended the season 124th in The Race to Dubai - and twenty thousand euro from safety.
Simon Thornton was unable to match his victory in the 2013 Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open this season and at 146th place faced the inevitable return to a place he knows too well. Having first sought his card in 2005 and battled through successfully the final stage in 2010.
Rookie Kevin Phelan clocked up one hundred and seventy five thousand euro in his first season on the European Tour. With a top ten finish at The Tshwane Open earlier in the season in South Africa.
The third place at the Hong Kong Open just wasn’t enough though to keep his card. So he returns to Catalunya looking to repeat his feat of last year. Where he was impressive in a pressured his final day to earn his rights at the first time of asking.
Michael McGeady travels to Final Qualifying buoyed by a solid four rounds at the Second Stage in Spain last week. As the winner of the Irish PGA Championship as season ago the Derryman’s added experience is now matched perhaps with a greater belief than in previous efforts.
Although McGeady did not compete in 2013 he has been a Q School hopeful every year since 2005.
However the Final stage is different. Only 25 spots available for the group of 156 if they survive not only six attritional rounds of golf. But also can shoot the lights out just about every day to ensure they stay within the top half of the leader board.
As history shows PGA Catalunya at this time of year can be a brutal battlefield and is littered memories of many broken dreams down the years.
This year though the five Irish contenders are amongst the most talented and experienced for many year. Indeed it is probably the largest Irish field for some time.
We wish them well!
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