Golf: Scots looking for success face tough test in School

TWENTY Scottish golfers, including a handful from the Lothians, set out tomorrow to try and keep alive their dreams for next year.

The second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School is being held at four venues in Spain and, for players like Lloyd and Elliot Saltman (Aegon/Archerfield Links), John Gallagher (Swanston New), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) and Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw), it probably represents the most important few days of their season.

Fall at this stage and they'll be back covering old ground next season. The target is to still be standing at the final stage, a six-round marathon that gets underway in Girona a week on Saturday. The leading lights there will secure coveted cards for the money-spinning main circuit and Lloyd Saltman, in particular, will be determined to make that step up to be alongside so many of his former Walker Cup teammates, including Rory McIlroy, Rhys Davies and Danny Willett.

At least the 2005 Open silver medal winner is heading into the crucial final two stages knowing that he has already secured a decent Challenge Tour card for next year, having often found himself on the reserve list for events on the second-tier circuit this season.

A place on the Challenge Tour at the end of the qualifying process would certainly be a decent outcome for Gallagher, Kerr and McAllister as that would represent a step up the ladder from the PGA EuroPro Tour.

For the second stage, Gallagher, Kerr and Lloyd Saltman are in the field at Costa Ballena, while McAllister and Elliot Saltman are at Hacienda del Alamo, where Craig Lee and Wallace Booth are also among the hopefuls.

Gallagher's preparations for this week's test included a recent visit to Hacienda del Alamo, where he shot rounds of 69, 69 and 67 to finish second behind Englishman Tom Whitehouse in a pro-am.

During that trip, the former Scottish amateur champion, who won the team event in tandem with Swanston New owner Colin McClung and Broomieknowe members Jim and Greg Hamilton, also attended a short-game clinic hosted by European Tour legend Tommy Horton.

"It was great chatting to Tommy," said Gallagher, who has just clinched a three-year sponsorship with legal firm Morisons LLP. "I was able to pick his brain and pick up some pointers."