Irish trio go back to school after failing to keep cards

IRELAND’S David Higgins, Stephen Browne and Michael Hoey return to the European Tour School at San Roque next month having failed to retain their cards.

It is a big blow for Higgins, who played well throughout the year but failed to make the cut in Majorca and wound up in 127th on the money list — nine spots from safety.

While Niclas Fasth was celebrating victory in the Mallorca Classic, the tournament also provided the setting for the nerve-wracking battle to maintain playing privileges for 2007.

As always, there are winners and losers, and while England’s David Carter gladly grabbed the role of the former, Scotland’s David Drysdale was the latter, missing out in agonising circumstances for the second year in succession.

Last year, Drysdale finished 117th as 116 kept their cards, the Scot missing out by a mere 586 after ending the year with €173,933.

His category presented him with 20 starts in 2006 but not a place in the Mallorca Classic. In 114th place with €200,391, he had no option but to wait and see if he could remain in the top 118.

Incredibly, the four players immediately behind him in 115th to 118th place at the start of the week — England’s Ian Garbutt, Italy’s Alessandro Tadini, Australia’s Matthew Millar and Gary Murphy of Ireland — all made the cut at Pula Golf Club and won enough money to overtake him.

Third round joint leader Murphy did best, his eventual share of 13th moving him up to 104th on the Order of Merit, while Tadini (tied 21st) moved to 110th and Millar (tied 38th) improved to 115th. Garbutt was the one sweating the most but his share of 64th earned him €4,112 moving him to €201,580, €1,139 ahead of Drysdale.

It would have been all right for the Scotsman if, of course, no-one from below 118th place did well enough to move up too but Carter did just that.

The Englishman, a World Cup winner for England in the company of Nick Faldo in 1998 and also an Irish Open champion, started the week 120th with €188,265, leaving him the target of finishing 37th or better to overtake Drysdale.

With the experience of veteran caddie Pete Coleman to help him, Carter held his nerve magnificently. He was tied 23rd at the halfway stage, tied 17th after 54 holes, and finished in a share of 27th place after a closing 73 for a six over par total of 286.

He made a crucial birdie putt from ten feet at the 16th which gave him breathing space and even allowed him to three-putt the last for a bogey four and still be safe, his cheque for €16,100 elevating him to 117th place on the Order of Merit, leaving Garbutt to take the 118th place and Drysdale, the unfortunate 119th place.