Amateur Max Kennedy kept his hopes alive of winning his tour card when he carded a two-under 70 to make the 72-hole cut at the Final Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School in Spain.
Only the top 64 and ties after four rounds — 83 players — qualified for the final two rounds at Infinitum Golf near Tarragona.
Scores https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/final-stage-infinitum-golf-2024/leaderboard?round=5
Royal Dublin star Kennedy (23) went bogey-free at the Hills Course to share 47th place on eight-under par, guaranteeing him full Challenge Tour status for 2025.
But he’s still four strokes outside the top 20 and ties who will be awarded conditional status on the DP World Tour after six rounds.
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley shot a one-under 70 at the Lakes Course but missed the 72-hole cut by three strokes on four-under while Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy was four strokes further back after posting a one under 71 on the Hills layout.
Both men are already guaranteed a full season on the second tier tour after making the recent Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca.
European Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari takes a two-stroke lead into the final two days after signing for a three-under 68 on the Lakes Course.
The Italian (43) leads by two strokes on 20-under from Frenchman Clément Sordet.
“It would be nice to win it,” said Molinari, who shot a 10-under 61 in the second round to take the lead. “I’m just trying to do the best I can and at the end of the week we’ll see where I am.
“I feel like I left a few shots on the course the last few days. Over the first two days I probably didn’t deserve to be 17 under, so in the end it always evens itself out. I’m hitting the ball well and hopefully I can make some putts over the last two days.
“All-in-all I’ve played well all week so far. I’ve been hitting lots of fairways and greens and giving myself a lot of chances.
“I made a lot of putts the first two days, and not so many the last two, but that’s golf.
“I hit the ball well today, I just made a couple of silly bogeys and couldn’t make a putt all day, but my game was very solid tee-to-green, so I’m in good shape.”
South African Justin Harding posted a seven under par 64 on the Lakes Course to move into third place on 17 under par, with Scotsman David Law also signing for a seven under 64 to share fourth on 16 under par alongside Dane Alexander George Frances and Spaniard Albert Boneta.
Three players are one shot further back in seventh on 15 under par, including Norwegian Alexander Settemsdal, American David Bryant and Italian Filippo Celli.