Attrition is the word most commonly used about European Tour Qualifying School and the Second Stage has again taken its toll this week in Spain, ending the hopes for next season for seven Irish golfers.
Only the one player earning a spot for the Final Stage next week at PGA Catalunya.
Niall Kearney the unexpected casualty after a one over par final round 72 saw the Dubliner drop 15 places and out of contention when he finished T21.
Having started the day in 4th place - and looking comfortable - it disappointingly proved insufficient for Kearney as those around him fired four and five under par rounds, leaving Kearney short sided at Lumine Golf and Beach Club.
Only the top 17 finishers at each venue and ties qualifying.
Kearney however earns Category 15 Membership of The European Tour for next season having finished within the top 25 places.
Michael McGeady enjoyed better news after clinching a share of fourteenth place after a final 70 - for a 3 under par overall at Campo Golf El Saler. The former Irish PGA Champion making the turn level and then picking up two shots on the home stretch to ensure his place inside the minimum mark.
Niall Turner signed for a 70 and moved up ten spots to a share 38th place at Las Colinas Golf and Country Club. But without making it any closer to full tour playing rights for 2015 on this occasion.
David Higgins carded a third round 70 for a share of 41st place and Mark Murphy dropped to 62nd after a final round 75. Both Waterville men left without full rights either.
Brendan McCarroll signed for 79 and share of 68th place.
Ruaidrhi McGee ended his campaign this year with a 68 and share of 51st place at Panoramica Golf and Sport Resort.
Gareth Shaw carded a 71 albeit with an improved position in 60th place.
Chris Paisley won his Second Stage event of The European Tour Qualifying School at Las Colinas Golf & Country Club with a five under par last day round of 66, which took the Englishman to 17 under in total. At the Spanish event, 18 players progressed.
Those 18 spaces where hotly contested and a four man playoff ensued for the remaining three spots when Englishman Matthew Cort, Dane Christian Gloet, Australian Geoffrey Drakeford and German Sebastian Heisele all finished in tied 16th position on seven under par.
Heisele and Gloet progressed in 16th and 17th place respectively, birdieing the second and third playoff holes, while it was Cort who missed out as Drakeford birdied the fourth playoff hole capturing the last qualifying spot in the process.
In the corresponding event at Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort, Englishman Matthew Southgate leapfrogged his compatriot Toby Tree with a five under par 65 to steal first place on 22 under par. However, again the real drama unfolded lower down the leaderboard on 13 under par as a sudden death six man playoff ensued for the remaining spaces.
After a tense battle, it was South African amateur Zander Lombard who took the 15th spot and Dane Jeff Winther the 16th. Gary Lockerbie then proceeded to hold his nerve to take the 17th place with a par three on the fifth playoff hole.
Elsewhere, Welshman Garry Houston stole the show at Campo de Golf El Saler, firing home in a seven under 65 to win the event.
But as with the other events, the real action came at the cut off for progression; Dane Daniel Løkke and Englishman Chris Lloyd hung on to take two of the last three qualifying places, where they were joined by Norwegian Espen Kofstad, who leapt up four positions to snatch qualification on two under par.
Meanwhile at the final event, Portuguese whiz Ricardo Gouveia completed his qualifying campaign with a rock steady level par 71 at Lumine Golf & Beach Club to stay at 18 under and advance on pole. A quartet of four players, consisting of France’s Guillaume Cambis, Englishmen Garrick Porteous and Nathan Kimsey and American Wes Homan, all shared the last progression spaces at nine under par.
Across the four venues, a total of 69 players qualified to the Final Stage where the top 25 players plus ties will earn their playing rights for The 2015 Race to Dubai.
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