Ronan Mullarney and Dermot McElroy have punched their tickets to Second Stage of DP World Tour Q-School after coming through the First Stage Qualifier at Dunham Forest.
Mullarney, after rounds of 67, 69 and 72 in rounds one through three respectively, entered the final round tied for fifth with the leading 18 players and ties advancing. Four birdies and three bogeys on the final day resulted in a one-under 69 and he ended the week tied for sixth at -3 and comfortably through to Second Stage.
McElroy’s task was a lot tougher in round four. He began the day tied for 25th at +3 and made the turn at level-par for the round after trading one birdie and one bogey. Needing to make a move on the back nine, he duly obliged and carded three birdies without a dropped shot and his three-under 69 lifted him into a share of 12th place.
There was no joy for any of the other six Irishmen in the field, nor for John Murphy who was the lone Irish contestant at Arlandastad in Sweden. James Sugrue and Paul Conroy both missed out by four after finishing on +5, with Robert Brazill, Luke O’Neill and Marc Boucher all further back.
Murphy, who began the day in 39th and with 19 and ties advancing, got into the fringes of contention when he got to -2 through 10 but four dropped shots in succession ended his hopes.
Mullarney and McElroy now join Thomas Higgins, Niall Kearney and John Ross Galbraith who had previously made it through their First Stage qualifiers. Just two of the 10 First Stage qualifiers remain and Seapoint’s Dylan Keating is the only Irish entry in either.
Second Stage takes place at four Spanish venues at the end of October.
DUNHAM FOREST SCORING
ARLANDASTAD SCORING
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