Trio of tour winners face qualifying school

Tour winners David Carter, David Park and Sven Struver face a trip to the qualifying school next month after missing the cut in the rain-delayed Mallorca Classic today.

Only the top 117 on the Order of Merit on Sunday evening will keep their playing privileges for 2008 and by missing the cut three-time tour winner Struver (121st), former World Cup winner Carter (171st) and Park (166th) - winner of the European Grand Prix in 1999 on only his second tour start - already knew their fate.

There was an anxious wait in store for the likes of England’s Lee Slattery after he too missed the cut, the 29-year-old from Southport occupying 115th on the money list at the start of the week.

Slattery had to wait and see if the likes of Jarmo Sandelin (119th), Steven O’Hara (123rd) and Richard Finch (124th) could overtake him over the weekend, the trio all qualifying for the last 36 holes.

Finch was certainly on course to do that as he reached seven under par after 12 holes, the 30-year-old from Hull picking up five birdies to move comfortably inside the top 10.

Former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart (169th) needed a miraculous effort after making the cut right on the mark of three over.

Coltart currently lies a lowly 169th on the money list without a single top-10 finish all season, but he is 41st on the career money list – the top 40 in that category also earn a tour card – and is just over £22,000 behind Seve Ballesteros.

Finishing 13th or better in Mallorca would save Coltart from a first visit to the dreaded qualifying school since 1993.

The knock-on effect of Thursday’s thunderstorm which washed out most of the afternoon play meant the third round would not be completed on schedule today.

France’s Jean-Francois Lucquin led on 10 under par midway through the round, one clear of playing partner Robert-Jan Derksen.

The pair began the round tied for the lead but Lucquin edged ahead with two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, while Derksen could only manage one birdie and one bogey.

Another Frenchman, Gregory Bourdy, was in a share of third place on eight under after picking up five birdies in 13 holes, alongside Ireland’s Peter Lawrie who had birdied the second and 10th.

Pre-tournament favourite Sergio Garcia, never outside the top two in three appearances in the event, was five off the pace on five under par.

The world number 10 struggled to the turn in 36 with one bogey and eight pars before recording his first birdie of the day on the 10th.

Ireland's Gary Murphy finished on -2. Ireland's other players are still on the course.