Liam Nolan’s hopes of winning his DP World Tour card suffered a blow at the Rolex Grand Final as five Irish players broke par at the Second Stage of the Qualifying School in Spain.
Ranked 43rd heading into the season-ending race for cards awarded to the top 20 in the Road to Mallorca rankings on Sunday, the Galway star (25) saw his chances severely dented by a two-over 74.
Nolan turned in two-over at Club de Golf Alcanada but after fighting back with three birdies in his first four holes on the back nine, he bogeyed the 16th, 17th and 18th to end the day tied for 39th in the 45-man field.
Nolan was projected to fall one spot to 44th in the rankings as he ended the opening day nine strokes behind leader Euan Walker.
The Scot made the perfect start in his quest for a DP World Tour card by posting a bogey-free, seven under 65 to lead by one stroke from. Italian Stefano Mazzoli and Frenchman Félix Mory.
The 30-year-old, currently 17th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, has narrowly missed out on promotion to the DP World Tour over the last three seasons after finishing 25th, 26th and 24th in the rankings respectively.
“I’ve just got to try my best to keep doing what I’m doing,” said Walker, who would jump to sixth with a win. “Form in golf is very fleeting.
“It can come and go from one day to the next, and I think everybody knows that. Today it worked out in my favour. I’ll try and do that again.”
If he fails to win his card this week, Nolan can tee it up at the six-round Final Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School in Tarragona next week where the top 20 and ties will win cards.
Getting there is the goal for the 11 Irish players at the Second Stage at four Spanish venues this week and it was a mixed start for them yesterday.
Whitehead’s John Ross Galbraith opened with a four-under 68 to share seventh at Desert Springs Resort in Almería, where the top 24 progress.
Kilkenny’s Mark Power was 15th after a 69 but 72s left Hugh Foley and Dermot McElroy joint 37th while Ronan Mullarney was 58th after a 75.
Max Kennedy was 11th in the race to make the top 24 at Isla Canela Links in Huelva after carding a three-under 66 while Cormac Sharvin was 28th a 67.
Level par 71s left Paul McBride and Robert Moran just two shots outside the top 24 at Golf Las Pinaillas in Albacete while at Fontanals Golf Club in Girona, Tom Dowdall’s one under 70 left him just a shot outside the top 23 who progress with David Carey 49th after a 72.
