David Higgins was the only Irishman to make the 72-hole cut as the remaining five contenders were eliminated at the European Tour Qualifying School final stage. The 39-year old from Waterville carded a two-over par 74 on a sodden Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort, slipping eight places to 19th on five-under par as 73 players qualified for the last two rounds of the 108-hole test on two over or better.
The top 25 and ties tomorrow night will earn their places on the 2013 European Tour with Argentina’s Estanislao Goya and England’s Andy Sullivan a stroke in front at the top of the leaderboard on 12 under par.
Korea’s Sihwan Kim made five birdies and an eagle two in a seven under 63 on the Tour Course that catapulted him from 124th to 56th and into the last two rounds on the Stadium Course.
Rhys Davies and Bradley Dredge, Ryder Cup players Paul Broadhurst and Jarmo Sandelin, and ex-tour winners such as Kenneth Ferrie and Nick Dougherty made their exit. Ballymena’s Chris Devlin, was two under for the day and a shot inside the cut mark with six holes to play but a quadruple bogey eight after water hazard troubles on the 13th at the Stadium Course cost him a 76. He was thus five shots off the pace on seven over. Niall Kearney (70) and Simon Thornton (72) finished 92nd and 99th after trying days on the Tour Course. Peter O’Keeffe (75) on 14 over was 140th while Gareth Shaw (68) was 137th on 12 over.
