Niall Kearney leads Irish challenge at tour school

Royal Dublin’s former amateur international Niall Kearney led the way as the Irish contingent suffered a rough start on day one of the European Tour qualifying school’s second stage at venues across Spain.

Kearney – who had been exempt from the first stage – was the only Irish player among the eight in action to come in below par after round one.

He finished on a one-under-par 70 at Lumine – four shots back from joint overnight leaders Nico Geyger and Julian Kunzenbacher, who both carded five-under-par rounds of 66.

Kearney was one-over-par at turn after dropping a stroke at the seventh, but recovered on the back nine with birdies on the 11th and 13th respectively to take share of 15th spot after the first of four rounds.

Also in action at Lumine, Waterville pair Mark Murphy and David Higgins both have work to do after they finished carded two-over-par rounds of 73 for a share of 50th position while Team Ireland’s Brendan McCarroll has a big mountain to climb after his six-over round of 77 left him tied for 70th in the 73-strong field.

At Panoramica, Rosapenna’s Ruaidhri McGee went round in level-par 72 and lies eight shots behind overnight leader Jean-Baptiste Gonnet after the Frenchman’s eight-under round of 64.

Lurgan’s Gareth Shaw had a tough opening round, picking up two double bogeys on the way to his five-over-par 77.

At El Saler, Northwest’s Michael McGeady is in a tie for 17th on one-over-par going into this morning’s second round after his first round 73 – four shots back from leader Jean-Pierre Verselin.

Meanwhile at Las Colinas, Muskerry star Niall Turner is two-over-par after a round of 73 yesterday where Finland’s Jaakko Makitalo leads the way after a seven-under par 64.