Liam Nolan and Jonathan Caldwell are in excellent position to progress to the Final Stage of DP World Tour Q-School, but it was a case of mixed fortunes across the four venues and there is considerable work to do over the weekend.
Nolan and Caldwell are both competing at Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria in the south eastern corner of Spain, and it was the former who had the best round of the two on Friday, carding a 68 to Caldwell’s 70 to join him at -9 and they move into a share of fifth place, three off the lead.
There are 22 Final Stage places up for grabs at Desert Springs, and Paul Dunne finds himself just outside the mark at -5 and tied for 26th, while Niall Kearney struggled to a two-over 74 that leaves him tied for 57th and six shots off the provisional qualification number.
Further west at Isla Canela, close to the Portuguese border, Max Kennedy and Mark Power remain in position to qualify at tied 13th on -2, but due to heavy rains and a flooded course, play was suspended and is set to resume on Saturday morning and could possibly see the event reduced to 54 holes should the adverse weather continue.
Paul McBride is a shot further adrift in a tie for 30th, while Cormac Sharvin faces an uphill battle from one-over.
Ronan Mullarney is the sole Irish representative at Golf Las Pinaillas in the province of Albacete, and back-to-back level-par 71s leave him in a tie for 48th, five shots off the qualification places.
In the final Second Stage Qualifier, Rowan Lester and David Kitt face uphill tasks if they’re to make it through. Lester lies seven shots off the pace at +2 after rounds of 71 and 73, while Kitt’s second-round 76 has more than likely ended his hopes of qualification as he is 12 shots off the pace.