The European Tour’s qualifying school final is a bit like going on holiday when you were about eight and constantly barking from the back seat of the car ‘are we there yet?’
For some of the Scottish hopefuls in this six-round trudge, it’s a case of steady as she goes at the halfway stage. For others, though, the end of the road will come today with the 72-hole cut looming.
David Law, the young Aberdonian who won his stage two qualifier last week, continued his fine form at PGA Catalunya as he tucked himself into a share of fifth and well inside a top-25 placing that will be rewarded with a card for the main European circuit in 2017.
The 25-year-old former Scottish Amateur champion harnessed the windy, testing conditions in north east Spain and posted a two-under 68 over the Tour Course for a seven-under aggregate of 205 to sit just two shots behind the experienced English leaders, Robert Coles and Richard McEvoy.
Bradley Neil, who has saved some of his best golf for the q-school process this season, also sits inside the qualifying zone although he slithered backwards with an eventful one-over 71.
The 20-year-old from Blairgowrie began his third round on the 10th and swiftly took flight with an eagle-three. He was quickly brought down to earth and a damaging quartet of bogeys from the 12th had the former Amateur champion heading in the wrong direction although he did end his day on a high note with a birdie on his penultimate hole.
Scott Henry signed for a level-par 70 to sit on the fringes of the qualifying places with a 209 while Motherwell’s Ross Kellett is two shots further back after a 72 on the Stadium Course gave him a total of 211. Craig Lee, who narrowly lost his full tour card a couple of weeks ago, is facing a major fight just to make the 72-hole cut.
A level-par 72 on the rigorous Stadium Course left him down on a four-over 218, four shots outside a top 70 place required to progress to the closing two rounds.
Peter Whiteford and Craigielaw rookie Grant Forrest will be on the early flight home, though. Whiteford stumbled to the turn in 43 en route to an 80 for 224 while Forrest’s turbulent card was strewn with the debris of four double-bogeys as he sagged to an 81 for 226.
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