Dermot McElroy still in qualifying hunt at Euro Q-School
Dermot McElroy remains in contention to progress to the next stage of the European Tour qualifying school at the halfway point of the first stage event at Stoke by Nayland.
The Ballymena star followed up his opening 67 with a 74, but that only knocked him down to ninth, alongside English quartet Bradley Moore, Miles Collins, Jack Harrison, and Ryan Fitzgerald on 141, one-under par.
His round looked troubled when he hit four bogeys on his front nine, with three of them coming in the last three holes.
A bogey on the 11th followed but two birdies on holes 12 and 16 helped him recover slightly.
Jamie Abbott is the new leader with 134.
Colin Fairweather matched McElroy’s 74 but after hitting 76 in round one he needs to step up if he is to keep his dreams of earning a European Tour card alive. He is tied for 45th on 150, eight-over par.
His card contained a triple bogey, a double bogey and two bogeys. He also managed four birdies but he needs a faultless round today.
Kieran Lynch’s competition is all but over after shooting 79 to leave him in 68th place on 156, 14-over par.
At the corresponding event at Ebreichsdorf, Austria, it will take a miraculous turnaround for either Peter Dallat or Stephen Grant to make the second stage. Dallat hit 73 in the first round and added 74 to leave him tied for 81st on 147.
Grant managed to match par with four bogeys cancelling out his four birdies but sits on 152 after hitting 80 on Tuesday. Denmark’s Victor Osterby leads the way on 133.
