Scottish pair in card mix at European Tour Qualifying School

Marc Warren and Duncan Stewart are both still in card contention heading into a nerve-wracking final day in the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain.
Marc Warren is one shot outside the card-winning zone. Picture: Jane BarlowMarc Warren is one shot outside the card-winning zone. Picture: Jane Barlow
Marc Warren is one shot outside the card-winning zone. Picture: Jane Barlow

In the battle for 25 cards at Lumine Golf in Tarragona, Warren is sitting just one shot outside the cut-off mark on 14-under, with Stewart two shots back after both players carded five-under-par 66s in the penultimate round of the marathon test.

With the final two circuits being played on Lakes Course, Warren’s effort contained six birdies, including one to finish for the second day running, as he jumped into a share of 27th spot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was a good, solid round of golf,” said the 37-year-old, a three-time tour winner but back at the coalface in this event for the first time since 2010 after finishing 130th in this season’s Race to Dubai.

“The last five days have been to give yourself a chance tomorrow - that’s all you can do. Whether you are inside or outside the mark, you’ve just to stay patient but moving forward at the same time. I feel I’ve been doing a pretty good job in that respect so far this week and I don’t see it changing tomorrow.”

Warren failed to survive the 72-hole cut on his last visit to the final but reckons the eight years’ experience he has gained since then is proving invaluable this time around.

“You can easily think you need to be shooting low from the start and get to 20 or 
25- under too quick,” he added. “For me, the main thing coming in was thinking that if I could shoot three-under six times that would hopefully be good enough. I’ve been really patient but also playing aggressive and making birdies.”

Stewart, who is bidding to win back the main tour card he held in 2017, birdied three of the last five holes to move into joint-37th, but Craig Ross (72 for seven-under) now looks as though he will have to settle for a Challenge Tour card next season along with Connor Syme (72 for five-under).

Three players share the lead on 21-under, including Frenchman Romain Langaque, who won the Amateur Championship at Carnoustie in 2015.