PADRAIG HARRINGTON has set an example that everyone including former Walker Cup teammate Gordon Sherry, would love to follow when the PGA European Tour Qualifying School begins at San Rogue and Sotogrande in southern Spain today.
Harrington's was an outstanding case of an amateur celebrity making the smoothest of transitions to the professional ranks and one that has not been lost on Sherry, the 6ft 8in Scot whose only success since he quit the amateur world after the US Masters was to gain his degree in biochemistry at Stirling University.
Sherry is not alone. This year's School has an unusual number of fallen heroes, as well as the customary battalions of "wannabees". Paul Way, a member of the victorious 1985 European Ryder Cup team; Open runner-up Gordon J Brand David A Russell, first School champion in 1976, and last year's winner Steven Webster, all come into the former category.
In the second are the six Irish entrants, one of whom is a surprise addition. to those golfers owing allegiance to the Emerald Isle. He is Cameron Clark, a 22-year-old who is Scottish in everything but his place of birth. Clark is an assistant to his father lain at the English club of Hagley in Shropshire, but has opted to be Irish because he was born in Belfast. Yet his brother Finlay (26), who also competes this week, has chosen Scotland as his home country.
Ulsterman Jim Carvill (30) missed out by one shot after playing all six rounds in 1991, but like Germany's Heinz Peter Thul, who is making his 14th attempt, hope springs eternal.
Regular Tour player John McHenry, and Francis Howley who won 11th card last year, also join the search for security. In McHenry's case it is to try and improve his ranking, for he has been given a medical exemption for the first 13 events of the new season.
Howley who ended in 151st place on the money list, has put his faith in the coach who is helping to turn Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke into leading contenders for Ryder Cup honours next year. He is Yorkshireman Peter Cowen, now coaching at the Lindrick club, whom the Milltown professional began consulting earlier this month.
Howley plays his opening round at Sotogrande in company with John Murray, a 30-year-old Dubliner, who is now the club professional at the nine-hole Sidcup course in north Kent.
Murray was Irish assistants champion in 1984 before getting a job as assistant to Hugh Boyle at Royal Wimbledon. He has enjoyed considerable success in the PGA Southern region where he has 16 victories to his credit. This is his third appearance in the School finals. Making his first appearance is Damian McGrane, this year's number one in the Irish Region.
