Irish going strong in Euro qualifying

IRISH golfers involved at St Anne’s Old Links, Lancashire, yesterday played themselves into excellent positions to progress to the second qualifier for the European Tour.

Competition for the 20 places available at PQ1 is intense but David Mortimer from Galway, Killarney’s Danny Sugrue and North-West amateur star Michael McGeady are among those who need only a solid final round today to progress to PQ2 in Spain later in the season.

Mortimer is tied for second place on 16 under par, one shot behind the Dane Brian Akstrup.

Kilkenny professional Jimmy Bolger is still sitting pretty at Carden Park. He shot 72 yesterday for eight under and a share of third place. Former Tour player Raymond Burns is in touch on two under along with Greg Bowden, a member of the Hermitage team that lost to McGeady’s North West in last week’s final of the Bulmers Irish Senior Cup.

Several other Irishmen stand their ground going into the last day at both venues. They include former Walker Cup star Noel Fox and current internationals Darren Crowe and Sean McTernan at St Annes and Dundalk club pro and former British Boys champion Leslie Walker at Carden Park.