Q-School: Hurley hits the front, Hume withdraws with long game woes

Gary Hurley. Picture: Jimmy Penrose

Jack Hume and Stephen Grant withdrew after two disappointing rounds but Gary Hurley is flying high after a second round 64 at the Second Qualifying Stage of the European Tour Q-School in Spain.

Playoffs are likely after Monday's fourth round with just 17 spots up for grabs at each of the four venues. But West Waterford ace Hurley put himself in pole position to make it to PGA Catalunya for the Final Stage when he made eight birdies in a seven under par 64 to leap 23 places into a three way tie for the lead at Las Colinas Golf & Country Club in Alicante.

The 23-year old former Walker Cup winner is tied on nine under par with Sweden's Oscar Lengden and Italy's Andrea Maestroni with fellow Waterford man Kevin Phelan right on the mark in joint 15th place on five under after a 69.

Jonny Caldwell looks all but out of it on two over after a 73 there while former footballer Grant, who had opted for European after a clash with the Second Stage of the Web.com Tour Q-School to play in Europe, will now head to the US after all.

The Birr native, 39, added a 75 to his opening 73 and headed back to the US to tee it up in the Second Stage of the Web,com Tour Q-School at Plantation Preserve in Florida from November 8-11.

There will be no second chance for Hume, who was suffering from a neck problem before heading to Spain and withdrew at Panoramica Golf & Spa Resort in Castellón.

With his long game misfiring, the Naas man added a 77 to his opening 75 to soar to eight over with the top 17 already on six under or better.

Brian Casey is seven outside the mark there after rounds of 71 and 73 but there was better news for the Irish at Lumine Golf and Beach Club and at El Saler, where Niall Kearney (70-71) and Cormac Sharvin (68-73) are just a shot outside the mark in 18th place on three under.

Chris Selfridge looks out of it there on six over after a pair of 75s but Limerick's Tim Rice can still make it to Final Stage from Lumine in Tarragona, where he followed a 68 with a 69 to share 17th on five under.

At level par, Rosapenna's Ruaidhri McGee (70-72) needs a good round on Sunday while Declan Loftus has a lot of work to do at four over after two 73s.

European Tour Q-School Second Qualifying Stage

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, Alicante, Spain 

Scores

T1 HURLEY, Gary  -9 69 64 133
LENGDEN, Oscar -9 69 64 133
MAESTRONI, Andrea -9 67 66 133
T15 PHELAN, Kevin -5 68 69 137    
T60 CALDWELL, Jonathan* +2 71 73 144    
W/D GRANT, Stephen +6 73WD

Campo de Golf El Saler, Valencia, Spain 

Scores

T1 CARSTENSEN, Christopher -8 65 71 136
T1 MARTY, Fabien -8 64 72 136
T18 KEARNEY, Niall -3 70 71 141
T18 SHARVIN, Cormac -3 68 73 141
T68 SELFRIDGE, Chris* +6 10:20 75 75 150

Lumine Golf & Beach Club, Tarragona, Spain 

Scores

T1 BULL, Charlie -9 65 68 133
T1 HEMSTOCK, Billy -9 66 67 133
T17 RICE, Tim -5 69 68 137
T51 MCGEE, Ruaidhri* +1 70 72 142
T71 LOFTUS, Declan* +4 73 73 146

Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort, Castellón, Spain 

Scores

1 CANTER, Laurie  -14 65 65 130
T51 CASEY, Brian +1 71 73 144
WD HUME, Jack +8 75 WD

from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2fr3g5j