Alex Maguire and John-Ross Galbraith have shown plenty of late season form and both players will be hoping to be rewarded with Asian Tour cards at this week’s Q-School final stage.
Galbraith eased through the pre-qualifier a fortnight ago while Maguire finished birdie, eagle to make a six for five playoff last week before prevailing.
Maguire has already secured a card on the revived MENA Tour but with no direct route to greater tours in Europe, earning Asian Tour status would be huge for the Meath man with elevated International Series events available to play and a potential promotion to the LIV Golf League.
Galbraith qualified for the final stage of DP World Tour Q-School last month but was unsuccessful in securing his card, but having come all the way from the first stage, perhaps he is hitting form at the right time after a disappointing Clutch Pro Tour season.
Similarly, Maguire looks to have clicked into gear since making the cut at the Amgen Irish Open.
In the two double points Clutch Pro Tour events, the Laytown & Bettystown star finished 15th and 2nd, won his MENA Tour card and is now five rounds away from truly giving himself a foothold in the professional game after a tough couple of seasons.
Although the MENA Tour has no confirmed pathways as of yet it has relaxed the 24-year-old is relieved to have guaranteed status heading into 2026.
“Getting MENA Tour status at least gave me somewhere to play next year,” he said. “And it’s a boost knowing I’ll have guaranteed status somewhere for the first time. And yeah, I felt like I was due a bit of luck, because there were so many events where I was a shot on the wrong side of things, but luckily I got in on the number today and I felt like that eagle putt on the last hole was almost like letting bygones be bygones and hopefully this is a new and fresh start going forward.”
However, if he was to clinch one of the 35 available cards it would mean so much more than just getting Asian Tour status, doors could open and opportunities could come his way.
“Obviously, if I got a full [Asian Tour] card, I’ll definitely use it, you know, it’s sort of the whole point why I’m here. But if you get full Asian tour card, then you get Golf Ireland funding, which is a massive help, so that’s another incentive,” said Maguire.
“You get a bit of a backing, some funding to help travel all around Asia, and then you might even get a few HotelPlanner Tour starts or maybe DP World Tour starts out of it too.
“But that’s out of my hands. You want to be in control of your own destiny, so if I can earn my way there then that’d be great.”
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