Hurley and Sharvin in the ascendency at Q-School

Gary Hurley and Cormac Sharvin are best placed of the Irish to progress to the Final Stage of DP World Tour Q-School in Spain while a host of Irishmen have also played their way into contention at the Second Stage. 

Hurley, playing in Emporda Golf in Girona is currently in a share of sixth place on seven-under-par after a two-under 69 in his third round. 

Former DP World Tour stalwart Alejandro Canizares is the leader there on twelve-under. There are 23 qualifying spots for next week’s Final Stage on offer in Emporda with Stuart Grehan and Conor Purcell needing low rounds to push their way into the frame. 

A one-under 70 moved Grehan to 28th place and within two shots of the cut off point despite two bogeys coming down the stretch. 

Meanwhile Purcell has continued his comeback from an opening 74 with consecutive rounds of 69 to move to one-under-par. 

Sharvin has moved into the top-9 at Las Colinas after a back nine of 33 which included three birdies on 12, 13 and 18. 

The Ardglass man is six-under-par as he bids for a swift return to Europe’s top flight. 

As it stands two-under is good enough to make the top-22 but Dermot McElroy and Niall Kearney will need something special if they are to break through from level-par and five-over respectively. 

K Club’s Conor O’Rourke and Rosapenna’s Ruaidhri McGee are both well placed to advance from Desert Springs with the pair tied in fourteenth place on seven-under-par. 

McGee made a significant move with a three-under 69 while O’Rourke battled back from two early bogeys to post a level-par 72 which included a closing birdie. 

Gavin Moynihan and Robert Moran are both five-over. 

Jonathan Yates is on the outside looking in at Isla Canela Links. The Naas man is currently 25th with the top-22 advancing to Tarragona next week. 

The 29-year-old moved to eleven-under after a three-under 68 that portrayed all of his battling qualities. 

Yates who won the final event on the Alps Tour was reeling after three bogeys in his first six holes but he showed great spirit to battle back. An eagle on the 8th . 

A birdie on the thirteenth was followed by three birdies in his last four holes to reignite his hopes. 

Scoring HERE