Fuente: © PGA European Tour
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PGA EUROPEAN TOUR: A Total of 41 Players Survive Cut at Seniors Qualifying School

/noticias.info/ Former Senior Major champion Stewart Ginn and Bertus Smit, who enjoyed a highly successful amateur career before turning professional five years ago, head the list of 41 players who have made it through to the last round of the European Seniors Tour Qualifying School Finals in Portugal.

Ginn, who won the Ford Seniors Players’ Championship on the US Champions Tour in 2001, carded a 68 on Wednesday to tie Smit at the top of the leaderboard on seven under par 206.

It was the Australian’s third consecutive below par score at Pestana Golf Resort’s Pinta Course and would have been even better but for a sloppy three-putt at the short 17th which represented only his third bogey in as many rounds.

“I am on schedule," said Ginn afterwards. "I’m not a man who looks at the leaderboards that much, so tomorrow I will just go out and play my game: do what I have to do.”

Smit, who won over 100 amateur Open titles in his native South Africa before turning pro in 2000 and trying his luck on the mini senior tours in the States, carded a rare birdie four at the difficult 596 yard closing hole for a round of four under par 67.

Adan Sowa of Argentina is alone in third place on six under par. The smooth-swinging South American produced a fine round of 67 that featured just the one bogey at the par four ninth and five birdies, including one at the treacherous tenth hole, which played a little easier on Wednesday due to a change in wind direction.

Leading British duo, England’s Stephen Chadwick and Jimmy Heggarty of Northern Ireland, share fourth place with Chile’s Angel Fernandez on five under par 208.

However, Heggarty can feel a little fortunate to be on that mark as his wayward drive at the 596 yard 18th hole landed on a cart path and bounced on for almost 100 yards before coming to rest just off the fairway. This allowed him to reach the front of the green with his second shot and he duly got up and down for birdie and a round of two under par 69.

“I struggled a bit with my putting today but that birdie at the last was a bonus and leaves me right in contention for tomorrow,” commented the former European Tour player.

However, the round of the day belonged to Bobby Lincoln and his faultless 66, five under par, that featured an eagle at the 512 yard 14th and birdie threes at the sixth, 13th and 16th holes. That moved the South African through the field and into seventh place on his own, with a 54-hole aggregate of four under par 209.

Another big mover was England’s Robin Mann, who turned in a tournament low 31 on his way to a 67 that gives him a share of ninth place. Alongside him on two under par 211 are American Kurt Cox, Bob Larratt of England and Columbian Rigoberto Velasquez.

American Doug Johnson, a comfortable winner of the Stage One qualifier at Pinheiros Altos, remains at three under par following his 71.

Earlier in the day, Dutchman Jan Dorrestein holed his seven iron tee shot at the 179 yard 15th hole, but it was not enough to prevent him from being among the 35 players to miss the cut.

The leading six players after Thursday’s final round will earn full cards to the 2006 European Seniors Tour, while the next eight will get conditional cards. notas_de_prensa_archivo