Brady tops Irish Tour School class

EAMONN BRADY, a former West of Ireland champion and a nephew of the celebrated Arsenal and Ireland footballer Liam Brady, represents Ireland’s best chance of reaching the European Tour School at San Roque next week as the field goes into the final round of the second pre-qualifier at Costa Ballena near Cadiz today.

As most of the ten other Irish competitors struggled to stay with yesterday’s pace, Brady was rock solid as he added a 70 to his two previous rounds of 69. He stands six shots behind the joint leaders, Andrew McArthur of Scotland and Spaniard Carlos De Corral, and is tied for tenth place. The leading 27 at three venues throughout Spain progress to the Tour School, so the 31 year-old Dubliner has only to maintain his admirable level of consistency to date to achieve his ambition.

The remaining Irish at Ballena face a far more difficult task. John Kelly, the recently-appointed club professional at St Margaret's in Co Dublin, is tied for 34th and so needs to dip below the par of 71 to reach San Roque. Two other club pros, Jimmy Bolger (Kilkenny) and Galwegian David Mortimer (Newlands) are a shot worse off in a tie for 41st, while the Northwest amateur Michael McGeady is putting up a great fight. Having opened with a disastrous 75, he has recovered with rounds of 69 and 70 to put himself in with an outside chance on 214.