Irish Make Start at PGA Catalunya

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European Tour Final Qualifying Stage teed off on Saturday with a five strong Irish contingent amid the hopeful qualifiers at PGA Catalunya.

Since 1976, The European Tour Qualifying School has been held to establish which players, not otherwise exempt, will gain their playing privileges on the Tour for the following season through a qualifying competition. The Qualifying School is held in three stages - dependent on the individual's status - at a series of venues in the UK and Continental Europe. 

In the region of 1,000 competitors enter the Qualifying School each year, all aiming for a European Tour card, awarded to the top 25 and ties following the Final Stage. A player progressing through all three stages will have to play 252 holes under the most intense pressure.

The leading 25 players (plus those tied for 25th place) will earn Category 15 Membership of The European Tour for the following season.

Kevin Phelan leads the Irish challenge after signing for 69 to claim a three under par opening round on the Stadium Course on Saturday. With only one stroke dropped for a share 17th place and just three shots off leader, Christian Gloet of Denmark, who fired 64. 

Simon Thornton signed for a two under 68 on the Tour Course after reaching the turn in 34 and then the clubhouse without further loss. Although forfeited a birdie on the back nine when the Bradford born Thornton bogeyed the second last.

Peter Lawrie finished just one stroke further adrift on -1 and a share of 47th place. 

A mixed day for the Dubliner who carded an eagle three on the third and then mixed five bogeys and four birdies before signing his card in the recorders hut. 

Michael McGeady finished one over par on the Tour Course with a round that showed three birdies. Albeit four strokes were given back either side of the turn.

Gareth Maybin battled for a two over par finish with a double bogey six on the last damaging an otherwise level par round. But a share of 100th places the Ballyclare man trailing the leader by eight strokes after the opening round. And four strokes off the top 25.

The field 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.

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Fast Malmo Pace for Maybin

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Gareth Maybin opened his scoring at the Nordea Masters on Thursday with the loss of just one shot to card a round of 67 and head into Friday one stroke doff leader, Jens Dantorp.

Michale Hoey was one two behind after a round of 69 at the PGA Sweden National.

Shane Lowry opened with a 71 for a one-under-par round after a few hectic days qualifying for the US Open and finishing second to Rory McIlroy at the BMW GA  Championship.

Lowry made back to back birdies on the back nine to carve out a 34 at the halfway stage. A dropped shot at the second was recovered with a second birdie on a par-three at the fourth to finish one better than par..

He ended his first round with bogey on the ninth hole to lie five shots off the clubhouse lead of Swede Jens Dantorp and talented young English star Eddie Pepperell.

Kevin Phelan is also signet for a 71.

Dantorp began his round on the back nine and birdied 11 and 12 before picking up further shots on 16 and 18 to reach the turn in 32.

More birdies followed on the first and sixth to put the 25-year-old at the top of the leaderboard alongside Pepperell who birdied his final two holes to complete a 66 containing a single dropped shot.

The leading duo were one shot clear of a chasing pack of four players on five under, including two more Swedes in Sebastian Soderberg and Rikard Karlberg.

Henrik Stenson sat three shots behind following an opening 69 to leave him alongside Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez whose recent good form has catapulted him to the brink of Ryder Cup qualification at the age of 50.

Simon Thornton recovered from a double-bogey six on the third hole to card a one-under 71, 

Peter Lawrie ended Thursday with a 75,

Damien McGrane signed for a 77

David Higgins has withdrawn after a round which saw four bogeys and a double to finish on 78,

.

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Fanling for Higgins Lawrie and Phelan

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David Higgins, Peter Lawrie and Kevin Phelan are in actiuon at the Hong Kong Open joining defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez and Chinese players Zhang Lianwei, Guan Tianlang and Jason Hak at Fanling.

Jiménez last year became the oldest winner in European Tour history when he won at Hong Kong Golf Club aged 48 years and 318 days, in doing so completing a Hong Kong hat-trick by adding to the titles he claimed in 2005 and 2008.

The charismatic Spaniard had already begun amassing his 19 European Tour trophies by the time 15 year old Guan was born in 1998, and the teenager is one of China’s most promising talents, becoming the youngest player to make the cut in a Major Championship when he finished 58th at the Masters Tournament in April at the age of 14 years and 169 days.

Hak was also a teenage prodigy, setting a new record at the 2008 Hong Kong Open for the youngest player to make the cut in a European Tour event, aged 14 years and 304 days, which Guan’s effort at Augusta National bettered.

The pair will hope to follow in the footsteps of 48 year old Zhang, who blazed a trail for Chinese golf, becoming the first player from his country to play in the Masters, to break into the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking and to win a European Tour event, the 2003 Singapore Masters.

The quartet kicked off the 55th edition of the Hong Kong Open, which boasts a rich history and is one of few golf tournaments to have been played at the same venue - Hong Kong Golf Club - every year since its inception in 1959.

The US$1.3million event is tri-sanctioned by The European Tour, the Asian Tour and the Hong Kong Golf Association.

Tom Phillips, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Golf Association, said: “Looking at our panel of star players this afternoon, we not only have stars of Hong Kong Opens past but also potential stars of the future in the form of Tianlang and Jason. 

“I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to the captain and committee of the Hong Kong Golf Club and its members for playing such an important role in hosting and supporting the championship this year. Their support has been vital in bringing the tournament to fruition.

“I would also like to thank the M-mark committee for their continued support and recognition of the Hong Kong Open as one of Hong Kong’s premier sporting events.”

Sidney Cheng, captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, added: “We are very proud of the rich traditions and history surrounding the Open and we look forward to celebrating those traditions here this week.

“We are all delighted to see defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez return to Hong Kong and we wish him the best of luck in adding a fourth Hong Kong Open title to his list of victories. He would become just the second player to achieve this if he prevails this week.”

Jiménez, who hopes to follow Hsieh Yung-yo in winning the Hong Kong Open four times – the Taiwanese player triumphed in 1963, 64, 75 and 77 – said: “I came here for the first time in 2004 (at the beginning of the 2005 season) and won. I love the city and I especially like the golf course.

“It’s an old fashioned course and you have to have a very intelligent and precise game here. It’s in super shape this year – the greens are firm and the fairways are immaculate.”

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