Second Qualifying Stage Scores - Arcos Gardens
Second Qualifying Stage Scores - Costa Bellena Club de Golf
Second Qualifying Stage Scores - Sherry Golf Jerez
Second Qualifying Stage Scores - Hacienda Del Alamo
Germany’s Stephan Gross Jnr, the 2008 European Amateur Champion who finished second in a Challenge Tour event while still in the unpaid ranks, shot an opening eight under par 64 to lead the Qualifying School – Second Stage at Hacienda Del Alamo.
A total of 304 players are competing over four venues in Spain – Hacienda Del Alamo, Costa Bellana Club de Golf, Arcos Gardens and Sherry Golf Jerez – with 74 spots up for grabs to secure a place in the Final Qualifying Stage.
Gross, who played in The 2009 Open at Turnberry as a result of his European Amateur victory at the Esbjerg Golf Club in Denmark the previous year, opened a three stroke lead over Spain’s Pedro Orial, who shot a 67, and four players on 68.
The Arizona State sophomore from Leimen, Germany, won the European Amateur during a glorious three week spell as he won the German International Amateur and finished second in the Vodafone Challenge, where he was bidding to become only the third amateur in history to win a Challenge Tour event.
The leading 19 players after the four rounds of the Second Stage at Hacienda Del Alamo will progress through to the Final Stage, which takes place over six rounds at PGA Golf de Catalunya from November 28 – December 3.
At Costa Bellena Club de Golf, Spain’s Jesus Maria Arruti, competing in a record 21st consecutive Qualifying School since his first attempt in 1989, shares the lead with German Dennis Kupper and England’s Ben Evans. Former European Tour champion Paul Eales is also competing at Costa Bellena and opened with a solid five under par 67 to lie in joint fifth place.
The leading 18 players on Monday from the field of 76 will progress to the Final Stage.
Argentina’s Paulo Pinto, who hails from Cordoba, the home town of Masters Champion Angel Cabrera and fellow Argentine legend Eduardo Romero, fared best at Sherry Golf after an eight under par 64 gave him a two shot lead over Swede Johan Axgren.
The top 18 players from the field of 75 will qualify for the Final Stage.
England’s Oliver Whiteley, who played on The European Tour in 2006 after successfully progressing through the Qualifying School four years ago, leads the way at Arcos Gardens after a seven under par 65.
Whiteley leads Spain’s Santiago Luna, a veteran of The European Tour who has played over 500 events with one victory, with Jamie Moul, a former GB&Ireland Walker Cup player, in third place after a 67.
There are 19 spots available at Arcos Gardens from the field of 77.
