GOLF: Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane secured their places on next year's European Tour after the final round of the qualifying school at Emporda in Spain yesterday, although Ireland's other representatives Gary Cullen and - agonisingly - Stephen Browne failed to secure a top-35 finish.

Murphy shot 67 to finish joint fifth on 23 under par after six rounds. He was five shots adrift of winner Per Nyman of Sweden, whose 66 saw him finish on a 28-under-par total of 400, one shot ahead of England's Philip Archer.

McGrane scraped through despite a nervous back nine, making the cut-off point of 417 (11 under) after a level-par round of 71.

As he left the recorder's hut, Murphy said: "It's a major relief as it's just a nightmare week, you want it to end before it even starts.

"I'm just delighted to do well. I played really solid all week and made very few mistakes. It's just nerve-racking from Bordeaux (the Challenge Tour Grand Final) on really, it's a long time.

"I think I've finished tied for fifth which hopefully will get me as many starts as I want at the beginning of the year. It gives me an opportunity to play more than the other guys.

"In 2000 I was on the tour and I was a bit green, so hopefully I'll improve on that performance.

"It's great that Damien has probably made it on 11 under as there are not enough Irish on tour, with Des (Smyth) and Eamonn (Darcy) joining the seniors, so it's great with Peter Lawrie making it from the Challenge Tour as well."

Murphy will take a break before availing of his tour card. "I'm off to South Africa for two weeks' holiday on Saturday and then I will go out to Australia and South Africa for the early tournaments next year, as hopefully with the fifth card I can get in some of the events in Australia."

Earlier in the day, McGrane had seemingly cemented his position in the top 35 by making three birdies over his opening nine holes to get to 15-under par, which at that time was four shots below the cut-off point.

However, on the back nine the strengthening wind caused McGrane to get into all sorts of trouble, dropping four shots over the three short holes. A bogey four at the 11th was followed by a double bogey at the 14th and a further dropped shot at 17. A par at the last left McGrane on 11 under par with the 35th place fluctuating constantly between 12 under and 11 under. It was an anxious time for McGrane, who has served three years' apprenticeship on the Challenge Tour.

"I was happy enough after a good start as I was three under after nine, and then I three-putted 11, didn't make birdie on 13, and took two chips to get on the front of the 14th after my tee shot spun off the green. I took five there, hit into the bunker on 17, hit out to four feet and missed," said McGrane.

"You know it's tough out there and every time you drop one you are thinking about what it means in relation to the qualifying score. That's unfortunate, as it's not the way you want it, but that tends to happen. I'll just have to wait and see now but hopefully 11 will make it."

Browne, having dropped back after a fifth-round total of 72, produced a 68 yesterday, but finished on 418 to miss out by a single shot.

Browne produced a superhuman effort over his front nine having teed off from the 10th, making five birdies to get to 11 under par which, at that time, was was good enough for a top-35 finish.

With the wind freshening as he made the turn, Browne dropped his second shot of the day at the third , retrieved his loss immediately at the next only to drop two more shots at the fifth and eighth holes. A closing birdie three at the ninth was to no avail.

Gary Cullen shot a level par final round 71 and finished on a six- under-par total of 422.