Price slips back in US Tour qualifying race
Phillip Price fell back from 26th to 60th with a second round 75 in the US Tour qualifying school competition in Florida.
But 24-year-old John Morgan, the former England amateur international from Bristol who turned professional only in April, is joint leader at the halfway stage.
Just the top 21 players and ties go through to the six-round final stage after the 72-hole event and Ryder Cup hero Price stands on the one-over-par mark of 145.
Morgan won on the European Challenge Tour in July and finished eighth on their Order of Merit to earn himself a place on the main circuit next season.
But the stablemate of Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Paul McGinley decided to go for his US Tour card as well and added a 69 to his opening 66 to reach halfway on 135, nine under.
Swedes Mathias Gronberg and Carl Pettersson are 14th and 19th respectively on five under and four under, but Essex’s Paul Curry slipped to 39th with a level-par 72.
At the qualifying tournament in California, Italian Emanuele Canonica led after an opening 71, one in front of Rochdale-born Ed Fryatt, while in Texas Swede Christopher Hanell was 11th after a first round 70, German Alex Cejka 25th following a 72 and Ireland’s Keith Nolan 51st after his 75.
