Walton plans all out final assault in bid to join European tour
Even though he couldn’t manage a single birdie in yesterday’s fifth round of the Tour School at San Roque, the 42-year-old Malahide man made only one concession and stands on five over par.
That’s a long way behind the leaders, Frenchman Francois Delamontagne on nine under and England’s Simon Wakefield (-8), but last night those on six over and better were placed among the top 35 and ties who will win their cards at the end of today’s sixth and final round.
Next best of the Irish is Dubliner Stephen Browne on seven over after a splendid 70 yesterday and he in turn is followed by David Higgins, 74 for nine over; Colm Moriarty, 72 for 10 over, and Michael Hoey, who began his round yesterday with an eight at the long 10th and did commendably to record a 74 for 12 over.
Walton will always be remembered as the man who clinched Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph at Oak Hill in 1995 but that’s a long time ago now.
If anything, the tension associated with his singles win over Jay Haas on that pulsating final afternoon led to a slump in form that saw him lose his Tour card in 1999 and he has been back to the school every year since - to no avail. To date, he has shot rounds of 74, 76, 69, 73 and 73 but admits it gets tougher and tougher to compete with the younger men who, he says, are knocking the ball 50 yards beyond him without effort.
Yesterday’s 73 consisted of 17 pars and a bogey at the short 16th where the broom-handle left his first putt from off the edge of the green eight feet short and he missed the next.
“One more day and I’ll be glad when it’s over,” he sighed.
“It’s a lovely time of the year for a holiday but this doesn’t qualify. The desire is still there but it’s a tough grind. Last year, at Emporda and Pals, I finished 13 under and missed by five. This place is different. I spent two days a week each of the last three weeks over in Largs, Scotland, with my coach Bob Torrance. I was playing decent golf coming here and played really well for 73 on Sunday when the wind was seriously strong. This time I missed the putts for birdie and got the tricky ones for pars. I defended my position and it’s the wrong way to go. I’ll attack tomorrow, I’d rather lose my card than play the way I did today.”
It helps when, like Higgins, much of the groundwork has been done for next season.
Not alone has the Waterville golfer clinched his Challenge Tour card for next season but he also reckons he will qualify for as many as 10 events on the regular circuit.
However, he is not happy with the way he has played over the past five days. As can be expected of a player who learned the game over the Waterville links, he has always had a low trajectory to his ball flight and that doesn’t pay dividends on an inland course playing to its full length of 7,103 yards. To counteract such a disadvantage, he needs to hit a high, long ball and admits he just hasn’t been able to do so to date. Accordingly, he may well need a three or four under par round today to crash the top 35 and ties who win cards, especially if the weather conditions remain as favourable as they were yesterday.
“I just can’t get a score going”, he said. “I’m just not playing well enough. I hit some great shots and didn’t make any birdies and hit a few poor shots and made bogeys and it’s not easy to come back. I seem to be hanging on but I know there’s a low score in me. I was playing great coming here; I’ve been trying my hardest and it’s not happening. This game would drive you around the bend. Like at the 18th, I hit a good drive and three wood and had no lie in the bunker. I was doing well to make five where four is very much on.”
Colm Moriarty and especially Michael Hoey are almost certainly too far back to have a chance of their card but both have a full Challenge Tour ranking next year.
“That’s huge for me”, said Moriarty, who last night was planning a journey to Mexico where three tournaments on the 2005 circuit are down for decision in the next month.
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