David Higgins’ quest to retain his European Tour card for 2014 got off to a strong start after his opening round in the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School.

Donegal’s Ruaidhri McGee is on the verge of progressing through to the final European Tour Qualifying School event next weekend after another superb round at Las Colinas in Spain.

Irish golf has never produced as many players willing to chase the ultimate dream of a place on the game’s major tours. Whether they can afford to follow their dreams is another matter altogether.

For most, it’s a human mincing machine, a graveyard for dreams that leads to nothing more than the drowning of sorrows in golf’s ultimate Last Chance Saloon.

David Higgins found his putting touch to fire a sensational six under 64 on the Tour Course and get within two shots of the lead after the second round of the marathon European Tour Qualifying School final stage at the PGA Catalunya Resort.

ENGLAND’S David Dixon blasted a five under par 67 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals in Spain.

DAVID HIGGINS suffered a huge reverse in his bid to win back his tour card when he crashed to a four over 74 in the third round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya Resort.

NIALL KEARNEY spectacularly chipped in for a late eagle to keep his tour card hopes alive at the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Golf de Catalunya.

NIALL KEARNEY and Simon Thornton both broke 70 but still slipped further down the leaderboard on a day of red-hot scoring in the third round of the European Tour Qualifying School final stage at PGA de Catalunya.

BIG-HITTING Damian Mooney followed up the longest drive ofhis career with a solid opening round in the frost-delayed European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain.

KILKENNY’S Gary Murphy took another step towards regaining his card and Niall Kearney showed his huge potential on a wind-lashed second day of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Golf Catalunya.

Irish former US collegians Peter O’Keeffe and Niall Turner came up short on their respective bids for major tour cards this week.

FORMER Ryder Cup star Phillip Walton is among the recipients of a quarter of a million euro grant allocation announced by the Team Ireland Golf Trust last night.