Like so many other visitors to the European Tour final qualifying school, Philip Walton's fortitude has been severely tested over the past four days. But the former Ryder Cup hero has responded to the task - likened by seasoned professionals to a "torture chamber" - of fighting for his tour card by surviving the first test in the 108-hole marathon in the south of Spain.
After yesterday's fourth round, at which point the top 80 players made the cut, Walton moved to within touching distance of reclaiming the card he lost last year and failed to win back on limited tournament appearances this season. The Dubliner shot a fourth round 70 for one-over-par 289 to move into tied-40th place with two rounds over San Roque and Sotogrande remaining.
Walton was one of four Irish players to survive, although he is the best placed of them. Paddy Gribben, a former Walker Cup player, and Damian McGrane, the club professional at Wexford, each recorded rounds of 73 for 290 (tied-50th), while Damian Mooney scraped in on the mark after shooting a 74 for 292.
Gary Murphy made a brave bid to keep in the hunt for a card by shooting a round of 69 yesterday. However, it wasn't sufficient to repair the damage of a disastrous 78 on Sunday and the Kilkenny player missed the cut by two shots. Jim Carvill and Sean Quinlivan, who next week goes through the whole process again when he competes in the US Tour final qualifying, also missed out.
The top 35 players, and ties, after tomorrow's sixth and final round will be handed their tour cards for 2001. Walton, though, has no room for error. Although he is just one stroke removed from his target, the cramped nature of the field is reflected in that just 10 shots separate those in tied-fifth position with the players who made it on the cut of 292.
South African Desvonde Botes holds pole position two-thirds of the way through the marathon. The 26-year-old birdied six of the last 10 holes at San Roque yesterday for a 67 which lifted him to a 72-holes total of 14-under-par 274, three shots clear of Belgian teenager Nicolas Colsaerts.
