European Tour Qualifying School finals: Dubliner Philip Walton emerged from the shadows at the European Tour Qualifying School finals at San Roque yesterday when he carded a three-under-par, third-round 69 to boost his chances of winning back is card.
The hero of the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill catapulted himself 35 spots up the leaderboard to a share of 58th place on two over par, leaving him just three shots adrift of Waterville's David Higgins, who is just inside the vital top-30 and ties on one under par after a 73.
The three-time European Tour winner began the day in a tenuous 93rd place on five over par, and was six over par just three holes into his round when he took four shots to get down from 75 yards at the 341- yard 12th.
But he reacted strongly, picking up four birdies in a row from the 13th for an outward half of three-under-par 33, before coming home in 36 with a birdie at the sixth cancelled out by a careless, three-putt bogey at the 225-yard eighth, his 17th.
"It's a move in the right direction," said Walton, who is just one stroke inside the top-70 and ties who will make the 72-hole cut tonight, guaranteeing category seven status on the Challenge Tour next season.
"I missed a short putt there near the end but I'm right back in it now. I swung the club better today, I drove it well and I'm moving forward, which is what matters.
"I was having a chat with my caddie last night and we thought that two rounds of 68 over the next two days would see us right.
"I missed that by one today but I am back in there again. So let's see if I can have another good one on the Old Course tomorrow. It's not in great condition but I like the look of the greens there."
The Old Course was out of commission until yesterday due to heavy rain and was still soft as the top half of the field played it for the first time yesterday.
Spain's Carlos Rodiles carded a 69 to lead by three strokes on 13 under par from English amateur Oliver Fisher (68).
Higgins managed three birdies at the same venue but also dropped four shots, two of them caused by mud on the ball.
"I have no idea what score I might need to qualify," he said. "I am just trying to play as well as I can and keep going."
