Kelly climbs up the leaderboard in Spain

Published on Saturday 21 November 2009 19:39

GLASGOW'S Chris Kelly moved up into the top ten during the second round of the European Tour's qualifying school stage two in Spain yesterday.

The former Scottish PGA champion posted a three-under 69 at Costa Ballena for a six-under 138 and shares tenth place, five shots behind joint leaders Edouard Dubois and James Ruth in the race for 18 final spots on offer.

Tartan Tour No.1 Craig Lee, the winner of stage one of the q-school at Dundonald in September, carded a 72 for a 143 but sits five shots outside the current qualifying zone with 36-holes to play.

At Sherry Golf, former European Tour winner Raymond Russell and fellow Scot Alan McLean cemented their place among the leaders with one-under 71s for four-under 140s to share tenth, four shots behind halfway frontrunner Eduardo De La Riva.

Elliot Saltman and PGA EuroPro Tour No.1 Scott Jamieson stayed on course to qualify after finishing on 142 but Comrie rookie Wallace Booth saw his challenge suffer a crippling blow with a 77 for 148.

Chris Doak, who played on the European Tour this season, slumped to a 78 for 150.

Aberdeen's Greig Hutcheon hit a three-under 69 at Arcos Gardens for a three-under 141 to share 13th place with former Scottish Amateur champion George Murray. The duo finished eight shots behind South African, Michiel Bothma, who leads on a 133.

Scott Henderson, the 1997 European Tour rookie of the year, had a 72 for 144 but the Doherty brothers, Paul and Jack, dropped back with a 146 and a 147. Paul O'Hara, the SGU's No.1 this year, leads the home hopefuls at Hacienda Del Alamo on 144 after a 70 but he is still three shots outside the current qualifying mark.

Meanwhile, Russell Knox's bid for a place on the US PGA Tour is set to come to an end in the second stage of the qualifying school in Florida. The Inverness exile, who won stage one of the q-school last month, posted a third round one-over 72 at the Hombre club for a three-over 216.

Knox is languishing down in 42nd spot with 18 holes to play, six shots outside a top 20 finish needed to progress to the final.