Quality Line-Up At Frilford Heath - 05/10/2007

A HIGH QUALITY field will contest Final Stage of the Sky Sports Qualifying School for the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour.

Second Stage begins at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire on Tuesday, with 240 players competing over three rounds.

Places in the leading Categories for the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour are at stake for the players, which includes the 14 who entered last week's Qualifying School Stage One as Amateurs.

A number of former winners on the PGA EuroPro Tour, including David Close, James Holmes and Sam Pigott, are among the field.

The likes of Stuart Cage, Simon Hurley, Ben Banks and Damian Mooney have full Tour experience, and many more have experience of the international scene as Amateurs.

Stage One saw a number of future stars emerge from the pack, including Michael McGeady, who was the only player to break par on a windy second day at Bedford last week.

James Ruebotham went on to win the event at Bedford, Andrew Cloke won at The Kendleshire, and Paul McDonald and Steve Surrey shared the spoils at Stoke by Nayland." target="_blank" James Ruebotham went on to win the event at Bedford, Andrew Cloke won at The Kendleshire, and Paul McDonald and Steve Surrey shared the spoils at Stoke by Nayland." target="_blank">www.europrotour.com/Images/practice2.jpg" width="200" align="left" vspace="2" border="0" />James Ruebotham went on to win the event at Bedford, Andrew Cloke won at The Kendleshire, and Paul McDonald and Steve Surrey shared the spoils at Stoke by Nayland.

Four players shared first place in the qualifier at Wynyard, with local player Vince Guest joined by Scottish trio Jamie McLeary, Graeme Brown and Eric Ramsey on -4.

"There's a great sense of anticipation among all the players," said PGA EuroPro Tour Managing Director Eddie Hearn.

"This is a great opportunity for the players to set themselves up for the year by securing a high ranking with a good performance over the next three days.

"All these players will have at least a Category 12 ranking for 2006, with players who make the cut winning a Category Eight ranking and the top 30 taking Category Three" target="_blank" "All these players will have at least a Category 12 ranking for 2006, with players who make the cut winning a Category Eight ranking and the top 30 taking Category Three" target="_blank">www.europrotour.com/Images/practice3.jpg" width="200" align="right" vspace="2" border="0" />"All these players will have at least a Category 12 ranking for 2006, with players who make the cut winning a Category Eight ranking and the top 30 taking Category Three status.

"A number of players entered the Qualifying School as Amateurs and have already turned professional, and so many young players are looking to take their first steps on the ladder towards the European Tour by succeeding on the PGA EuroPro Tour."  

The 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Categories are as follows:
Cat 1 - Players 1-50 from the 2005 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit
Cat 2 - 2006 Tournament Winners on the PGA EuroPro Tour
Cat 3 - Players 1-30 and ties from the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School
Cat 4 - 12 Sponsors Invites - Regular Events only (6 for co-sanctioned events)
Cat 5 - The top 10 from previous tournament (regular events only)
Cat 6 - 2005 PGA Club Professional and National Assistants Champion, The winners of each of the seven 2005 PGA Regional Final Order of Merits, and Players Holding Categories 7, 10 or 11 on the 2005 European Tour
Cat 7 - Top 5 players from the Top 50 in the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit not otherwise exempt
Cat 8 - Players 31-120 from the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit
Cat 9 - Players 51-80 from the 2005 PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit
Cat 10 - Players 2-10 from the 2005 Order of Merit of the PGA Region in which the tournament is played (regular tournaments only)
Cat 11 - Top 10 players entering who hold Category 1-12 on the 2006 Challenge Tour
Cat 12 - Players 121-240 from the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School
Cat 13 - Players failing to qualify from Stage One of the 2006 PGA EuroPro Tour Qualifying School

Score updates will be available throughout the tournament by clicking the link to the right.