Irish quintet have it all to do

Tour School: It is known as a marathon rather than a sprint, but the majority of the Irish players competing in the European Tour's final qualifying school at San Roque may well believe the 108-hole weeding out process to determine the 30 players who will win Tour cards for next season is not long enough after a disastrous first round yesterday.

While Sweden's Anders Sjostrand led the way with an opening six-under-par 66 (on the New Course), Eamonn Brady, a one-time winner on the Canadian Tour back in 2001, but who has struggled to claim a full card anywhere since, was the best of the quintet of Irishmen who started out. The Dubliner opened with a two-over-par 74 on the New Course, which left him in tied-53rd position.

Brady, in fact, double bogeyed the 15th, but bounced back with a birdie on the 16th to go on and sign for a 74 that at least left things in his hands if he is to leapfrog sufficiently far up the leaderboard and secure a precious card.

That is his prime goal, although a second option is also open to Brady if he at least makes the four-round cut on Sunday, which would enable him to play on the Challenge Tour next season.

It was a poor opening round for former Ryder Cup player Philip Walton, who struggled to a 78 on the Old Course.

John Kelly, the club professional at St Margaret's, also signed for a 78 on the same course, and, lying in tied-125th after the first round, the pair have a considerable amount of work to do.

Colm Moriarty, a former Walker Cup player, had a disastrous first round. The Athlone man signed for an 80; that included a double-bogey six at his first hole and a triple-bogey seven on the sixth, and he had four more bogeys before finally getting his sole birdie at the 18th.

For Stephen Browne, who at least has the comfort of knowing he already has a Tour card for next season, thanks to his position on the Challenge Tour money list this year, it was a short-lived day as he retired after six holes at which point he was four-over-par.

There were no such problems for Sjostrand, as the Swede included an eagle, on the 16th, six birdies and two bogeys in a round that saw him open up a two stroke lead over compatriot Alexander Noren and Spanish amateur Rafael Cabrera Bello.