Saltmans suffer Tour School exit

TWELVE months after making history by becoming the first brothers to graduate from the European Tour Qualifying School, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman have both failed a re-test and will find themselves back on the Challenge Tour next season.

While Steven O’Hara, Gary Orr and Chris Doak all stayed in the hunt for cards at PGA Catalunya in Girona, the Saltman siblings were among six Scots who failed to qualify for the final two rounds.

Elliot made a brave late charge with a fourth-round 66 but still fell three shots short as the cut was made at four-under – the lowest in the history of the six-round event.

As for Lloyd, who finished 133rd in the Race to Dubai in his rookie season, the bid to win back a card proved to be a humbling experience after a closing 79 saw him finish well down the field in 144th.

Needing to fire something special just to give himself a chance of progressing, the former Walker Cup player started with an eagle but then covered the next 17 holes in 11-over, the damage including three double-bogeys.

On a happier note, O’Hara moved into a share of 11th after a 68 while Orr (69) and Doak (72) are lying 20th and 34th, keeping them in the hunt for the 30 cards up for grabs.

Callum Macaulay suffered a painful exit, the former Scottish Amateur champion missing out by a shot after Austrian Hans Bacher birdied three of his last five holes to knock out those on three-under.

Former PGA champion Scott Drummond failed by five shots, one fewer than Alastair Forsyth, who dropped four shots late on as he chased the birdies he needed to keep his hopes alive.

Alan McLean also missed out, as did Nick Dougherty and Paul Broadhurst.