Alex Maguire and Mark Power are through to the Second Stage of DP World Tour Q-School after easing through the First Stage in Austria.
Maguire led the way after 54 holes and a one-over 73 mattered little as his fourteen-under total was good enough to progress in sixth place.
The Laytown & Bettystown amateur only entered the First Stage to gain experience as an amateur for when he eventually makes the journey as a professional. He will return to Florida Atlantic University for college commitments before pitching up in Spain in November for Stage Two.
“I’ll still go back to college next week and play for my college and get my degree but I just thought Q-School would be a good learning experience for me whether I come out with a tour card or not, just to see what it’s like as an amateur so I will have to do it as a pro. Given the chance I have now, playing well and having my name out there I thought I’d give it a shot and see how I get on and it seems to have paid off so far but we are only through one stage of three so I can’t get too far ahead of myself.”
Meanwhile after pocketing a cool €40,000 in his first tournament as a professional at the Horizon Irish Open, Power continued in his rich vein of form with a closing with a 71 to qualify in sixteenth on eleven-under-par.
After two early bogeys the Kilkenny man bounced back with a birdie on 8 before birdies on 11 and 14 consolidated his place in the top-23.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be out here and I guess I do have goals to get my tour card and in the long run, try and play at the very top level,” said Power who will be holding out for an invite to next week’s French Open. “But, just take it one step at a time right now, play whatever opportunities I can get right now and just try and give myself the best opportunities to get that tour card.”
Brandon Kewalramani topped the qualifiers.
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