WITH just 14 holes of the sixth and final round remaining yesterday, Keith Nolan was on course to secure a PGA tour card for the third time. Instead, he covered the closing holes in four over par, including a double bogey at the 15th, to miss out on a card by three shots.
Nolan's 74 was his worst round of the gruelling tour school, and left him on a total of 418.
Nolan fired two birdies in his first four holes to get to 18 under par yesterday in Florida. At that stage he was inside the cut score which would guarantee him membership for 2002, as the top 35 players and ties go on to compete next season.
Unfortunately for Nolan, nerves played a big part in the remainder of his round, with bogeys at the fifth and eighth holes bringing him back to 16 under par, as he had started the day.
He plucked a third birdie from the course at the par five 12th and at that stage was right on the number, there being exactly 35 players on that score.
Disaster lurked, and at the 13th he dropped a further shot and then at 15 his fate was sealed when he made a double bogey six.
The school was won by Pat Perez, who finished with a level par 72 and a 405 total.
Teenage sensation Ty Tryon fired a 66 to get to 18 under par and thus become the youngest ever player to earn a PGA tour card.
Other notable names to earn their ticket to golf's richest tour included Australian Peter Lonard, tied 10th, Gary Nicklaus, who tied for 13th, and English young gun and Walker Cup star Luke Donald, who was tied 23rd.
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