Higgins Tour hopes are dashed after late slip-up
Hampered by a poor third round, the 39-year old produced a sterling fourth round display on the rugged Stadium Course near Girona to move inside the crucial top-70 and ties at four under for the tournament with just the 449-yard 18th to play.
However, he pushed his drive into the rough, found sand right of the green with a rescue and missed a four-footer for par that would prove crucial.
Despite carding a 70 to finish his day inside the top 70 and ties on three under par, the Waterville man knew that he was still not safe.
He was correct.
With 69 players in the clubhouse on four under par, he faced an anxious 35-minute wait to see if Bacher, who was three under with three to play in the final group on the Stadium Course, would pick up a shot over his last three holes and ruin his day.
In the end the young Austrian went one better, finishing birdie-par-birdie to send Higgins home to Kerry.
“That’s it then,” said a disconsolate Higgins when he heard Bacher’s scores. It was a sad end to a battling day for the 39-year old, who had birdied the sixth, 10th and 15th to get to four under par for the tournament.
He dropped his first shot of the day at the par-three 16th, missing inside five feet after playing partner Knut Borsheim had holed a five iron from 206 yards for an ace — it was the Norwegian’s second hole-in-one inside 24 four hours, having also holed a five iron on the par-three 14th on the Tour Course on Monday.
A birdie from 15 feet at the 17th looked to have put Higgins safely into the last two rounds at four under par before that final-hole bogey and Bacher’s finish crushed his hopes of a Tour return.
The other Irish contenders also packed their bags for home. On the Tour Course, Chris Devlin shot a two-under 68 to finish 101st on one over, with Jonny Caldwell (71) and Cian McNamara (69) tied 139th on nine over.
“It’s been a very good week,” said McNamara, who will get limited Challenge Tour starts next year. “I know I didn’t score well but I leave with a good taste in my mouth. It’s not as if I am coming away thinking I am way off the mark.
“The Q-School was a lot tougher mentally than I imagined because you have only one shot at it. A mistake hurts you. In a tournament there is always next week. But I realise that I lost the whole thing in three holes the first day when I panicked after a few bad holes and shot 78.”
England’s Sam Hutsby shot a one-under 71 on the Stadium Course to lead by two strokes from compatriot Andy Sullivan (72) on 16 under par but Nick Dougherty failed to keep his card as he missed the cut on three over.
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