Daniel Young one shot off securing European Tour card in Spain

Daniel Young is the closest among five Scots to a card-winning position heading into the sixth and final round in the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

Daniel Young in action in the European Tour Qualisying School, a six-round maraton, at Lumine Golf Club in Spain. Picture: Getty Images

The Perth man sits just one shot outside the cut-off mark in the battle to finish in the top 25 and ties after producing a polished performance in the penultimate circuit at Lumine Golf Club.

Young, who won the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore on the PGA EuroPro Tour earlier this year, carded five birdies in a four-under-par 67 on the Lakes Course at the Tarragona venue.

That left him on eight-under-par after 90 holes, needing one big final push to earn his European Tour status without requiring the Challenge Tour to make the step up.

Ewen Ferguson got to 12-under for the event before dropping six shots in ten holes in Tarragona. Picture: Getty Images

Young, who lost to Bob MacIntyre in the final of the 2015 Scottish Amateur Championship at Muirfield, leapfrogged above Ewen Ferguson after the young Glaswegian went into reverse just when it seemed as though he was set to have the foot flat to the board all the way to the finish.

After catapulting himself up the leaderboard on the back of a brilliant 64 in the fourth round, Ferguson had strengthened his position by picking up two birdies in the opening eight holes on the Lakes Course.

But the former British and Scottish Boys’ champion then undid his good work over a day and a half by dropping six shots in 10 holes, with a 75 seeing him slip to joint-47th on six-under.

Peebles man Craig Howie carded a 70 for the fourth day in a row to sit in a tie for 55th five-under, one ahead of both rookie pro Euan Walker (73) and three-time tour winner Marc Warren (74).

South African Erik Van Rooyen oreceives the trophy from Pawan Munjal, chairman of Hero MotoCorp, after winning the DP World Tour Championship Hero Challenge in Dubai. Picture: Getty Images

Dane Jonathan Poke retained pole position after a fifth straight sub-70 round left him on 18-under-par, two ahead of Finland’s Sami Valikami.

Others in card-winning positions include former Scottish Open champion Gregory Havret (14-under), ex-Amateur Championship winner Garrick Porteous (10-under) and Welsh World Cup winner Bradley Dredge (nine-under).

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South African Erik van Rooyen defeated former Masters champion Danny Willett to win the final Hero Challenge of 2019 in Dubai.

Van Rooyen fired one ‘bullseye’ 50 in the final to finish with 140 points, edging out Willett’s total of 105.

It was Van Rooyen’s debut in the European Tour’s innovative shootout which was played under lights in front of the Atlantis on The Palm.

“That was awesome,” said van Rooyen. “I really didn’t know what to expect. I had seen it on TV, but it was great fun to do it here in Dubai. It is a cool initiative of the European Tour and it showcases us in a different light.

“It’s so intense when we are playing tournaments but something like this is fun and helps to get people involved in golf in a different way.”

Major champions Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson and Ryder Cup player Rafa Cabrera Bello also contested the innovative shootout in the UAE.

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