Stage Two Beckons For Stars Of The Future - 15/11/2007

FORTY-FIVE players who have played on the 2005 PGA EuroPro Tour were among the group to progress to second stage of European Tour Qualifying School last week.

The first stage was held over 72 holes at six courses across the UK and Europe, with between 23 and 29 players qualifying from each event.

Yasin Ali's course record 62 at Chart Hills was equalled in the third round by Australian Aaron Townsend, but David Fisher's superb second round 63 was in vain as he missed out by two shots in the final equation.

Antonio Sobrinho, who won the Vila Sol Barclays European Masters recently, finished tied second in the Chart Hills qualifier, but Nathan Main, Jeremy Kavanagh, Ally Mellor, Sean Whiffin and Lee Corfield just missed out.

Young South African Anton Haig finished second in the Circolo Golf Bogogno event in Italy, while Inder Van Weerelt came through the German leg to progress.

They will all join Simon Robinson, Daniel Gaunt, Mark Smith, Phil Worthington and Andrew Willey at Stage Two, following their exemption from the first stage due to their standing in the PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit.

John Wade also progresses automatically to Stage Two from November 2-5 by virtue of his Challenge Tour standing.

"It's great to see so many players progressing to Stage Two," said PGA EuroPro Tour Managing Director Eddie Hearn.

"It is testament that what we are providing on the PGA EuroPro Tour, in terms of competition and television exposure, is preparing the young stars for this kind of pressure.

"We're very proud that so many players will be taking a further step towards their dreams in November and I'm sure a great deal will earn their European Tour cards."

The PGA EuroPro Tour members to qualify were:
St Annes Links: Grant Hamerton, David Mortimer, Michael Nesbit, Aran Wainwright, Daniel Greenwood, Alan Murray, Eamonn Brady, James Healey, Niels Kraaij, Noel Fox.
Chart Hills: Antonio Sobrinho, Ben Willman, Mark Laskey, Kieran Staunton, Ben St John, Yasin Ali, Matt Ford, Anthony Tarchetti, Paul McKechnie, Colin Mitchell, Guy Woodman, Roger Winchester.
Carden Park: Gareth Wright, Murray Urquhart, Graeme Clark, James Kamte, Lee Rhind, Graham Fox, Ralph Miller, David James, Ian Ridgway, Barry Hume, Sandeep Grewal, Warren Wood, Ian Walley, Neil Reilly, Ryan Reid, Zane Scotland, Jason McCreadie, Henry Epstein.
Golf De Moliers: Ben Welch, Hugo Santos
Golf-Und Land-Club Köln: Inder van Weerelt
Circolo Golf Bogogno: Anton Haig, Simon Hurley

Stage Two of European Tour Qualifying School takes place from 2-5 November at Spanish courses Emporda Golf Club in Girona, Barcelona's PGA Golf de Catalunya and Golf Costa Ballena in Cadiz.