Q-school injury blow for Browne
Having already acquired a place on the main tour in 2006 through finishing 19th in the Challenge Tour order of merit, he decided to travel to San Roque in search of a better ranking.
It was a brave decision but Browne’s hopes went up in smoke when he had to pull out because of a neck strain after only eight holes of the first round of the 108-hole marathon.
“It’s a bad blow but there was no point in carrying on because the injury was having a bad effect on my swing and I might have made it even worse had I persisted,” said Browne.
“I felt a tweak when I was doing my stretching and when I got to the range I knew there was something wrong.
“After a few holes, I just couldn’t complete my back swing. I’m terribly disappointed but it could have been a lot worse. I still have my card for next year, that’s the main thing. I’ve had muscle strains in the past and they cleared up pretty quickly and I don’t think there’s anything major wrong.
“My manager, Conor Ridge of Horizon Sport Management, is working on getting me into the forthcoming tournaments in Hong Kong and China and there’s also a good chance of playing in the South African Open and the dunhill Championship, so I have to be positive.”
Overall, it was a disappointing day for the Irish in the south of Spain.
The top 30 and ties at the end of six rounds next Tuesday are handed Tour cards and as of now, only Eamonn Brady looks to have a realistic chance.
Even he is back in 54th place, having shot a two-over-par 74 on the Old Course. Philip Walton is on six-over 78 for a share of 126th with St Margaret’s professional John Kelly, while Athlone’s Colm Moriarty crashed to an 80, leaving him sharing 147th.
* There was better news for Des Smyth. He shot a 68 to share the lead with Argentina’s Horacio Carbonetti in the first round of the European Seniors Tour Arcapita at the Riffa Golf Club in Bahrain. Denis O’Sullivan shot a 73.
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