Seamus Power boosted his chances of earning full PGA Tour status for next year with a timely best finish of the season at last night’s Biltmore Championship in North Carolina.
Power clinched his first top-10 of the entire year with a share of seventh place on 20-under-par as he looks to earn his full PGA Tour card via the FedEx Cup Fall Series.
The West Waterford man began the Fall Series ranked 114th in the FedEx Cup standings with the top-100 earning full status. He moved up to 104th with seven events remaining.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy closed the gap between himself and Patrick Reed at the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings after he claimed a share of second place at Wentworth’s BMW PGA Championship.
McIlroy rued missed chances on Sunday as JJ Spaun stole victory from a stricken Manuel Elvira. The Holywood man comes away with the consolation of getting himself firmly back into the Race to Dubai conversation with Reed who retired halfway through round two. McIlroy is aiming to match Colin Montgomerie with eight order of merit wins.
On Europe’s second tier, the HotelPlanner Tour, things look a little bleak from an Irish point of view.
Liam Nolan continues to cling on to a spot in the top-45 of the Road to Mallorca Rankings with one regular event remaining before the top-70 play two events in China with the top-45 advancing to the Grand Final in Mallorca where 15 DP World Tour cards are up for grabs.
At 43rd, Nolan is the highest ranked Irishman and the only home hopeful on course to qualify for the final as it stands. Albeit only just, after a missed cut last weekend.
Gary Hurley is 55th while Mark Power (73rd) and Max Kennedy (77th) must finish well in Abu Dhabi next week to secure their place in the two Chinese events which are worth more than a regular season outing.
For the likes of Ronan Mullarney (136th) and Conor Purcell (155th) DP World Tour Q-School looks their best bet to get to the next level. An alarming fall for Purcell who was on the DP World Tour last year and is a two-time HotelPlanner Tour winner.
On the Ladies European Tour, Sara Byrne moved to 62nd in the order of merit with the top-70 set to keep their full status for next year.
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