Hoey, Caldwell grab cards, but agony for McGeady

EUROPEAN QUALIFYING SCHOOL:  IRELAND WILL have two more representatives on the main European Tour for the 2009 season after Michael Hoey and Jonathan Caldwell survived the six-round ordeal of final qualifying in Spain.

But Michael McGeady's dreams were cruelly crushed when he missed out by just one shot by bogeying the 108th - and last - hole.

Hoey had been in contention throughout the week, and had entered yesterday's final round at PGA Golf de Catalunya in Girona on eight under par and tied for 15th place, with the top 30 and ties earning their full cards.

The former British amateur champion eased through a final round of five-under-par 67 with four birdies and an eagle at the 12th to finish alone in eighth on 13 under par.

Caldwell had also started the final round looking comfortable on eight under. But his fortunes immediately turned for the worse when he bogeyed the first, second, fourth and fifth holes to slip outside the qualifying mark.

But he steadied the ship with birdies at the sixth and seventh, dropped another shot at the ninth, birdied the 12th, gave that away at the 14th and then - crucially, as it turned out - birdied the 15th to sign for a two-over 74 to finish on six over par and grab the final card in a tie for 29th with three others.

In contrast to Caldwell, McGeady began the round tied for 30th. And he showed no sign of nerves as he birdied the first and third to climb comfortably up the leaderboard.

But then disaster struck as he bogeyed the fourth and fifth, then double-bogeyed the sixth.

Remarkably, he immediately recovered with birdies at seven and eight, and got another back at the 15th to get to six under.

Standing on the 18th tee he was within touching distance of his goal, but that final bogey means he will ply his trade on the Challenge Tour next season.

Sweden's Oskar Henningsson created qualifying school history as he surged to victory with a 69 for a 21-under-par total and four-shot win over Australian Wade Ormsby and Spain's Carlos Del Moral.

Henningsson, who led for five of the six rounds, became the first player to come through stages one and two of the qualifying school and go on to win the 108-hole final.

For the record, he picked up a cheque for €18,595.50.