Errity secures Euro Club playing rights for 2011

IRELAND’S Pat Errity, from The European Club, secured one of the six places at the European Senior Tour Q-School final Stage in Portugal yesterday, earning playing rights for the 2011 season.

He finished in a tie for second with Swede Peter Dahlberg – five shots behind American Tim Thelen – after carding a five under par final round of 66.

“I’m delighted to get my card as it has been a target of mine for a few years now,” said Errity. “I hit the ball out of bounds on the eighth but holed from 140 yards with my next shot. The crowd thought it was an eagle! That kept my round going and I played well after that.”

Thelen fired a closing round 65 to lead the 16 graduates who gained cards for the 2011 European Senior Tour on a nerve-filled final day.

The 49-year-old, who will become eligible to join the Senior Tour when he turns 50 next June, started the day two strokes behind Austrian Gordon Manson but produced a superb front nine to put daylight between himself and the rest of the field.

He reached the turn at Pestana Golf Resort’s Vale da Pinta in just 29 shots.

Birdies on the second, seventh, ninth and 12th followed before he three putted the 14th for his only bogey of the day.