Tour News:Those who have been there, either as survivors or cast among those who failed, describe the PGA European Tour final qualifying school - which takes place this week at San Roque - as akin to a torture chamber.

It comprises six rounds, a total of 108 holes, that determines whether those professional golfers, some fledgling and others who have won tour titles only to slip back into the abyss, present will have a full tour card for the 2008 season which, bizarrely, is already under way.

So, while the rich got richer in the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, and others already assured of their tour cards can move on to the Hong Kong Open this week, those not yet with cards face a harsher reality at San Roque where five Irish players - Stephen Browne, Colm Moriarty, Michael McGeady, Damian Mooney and Peter O'Keefe - are among those 156 players in pursuit of just 35 prized tickets.

While McGeady, Mooney and amateur O'Keeffe were among those who came through PQ-2 last weekend, Browne and Moriarty were able to pay an advance reconnaissance mission to the venue for tour school having earned direct entry into the final field due to their season-end finish on the Challenge Tour.

For Browne, this is a fifth visit to the tour school.

He successfully came through in 2004, but has mainly plied his trade on the Challenge Tour where this season he finished 35th on the money list after a strong late-season showing that featured two top-10s in his last five outings, including a runner-up finish in the Toscana Open in Italy.

"I'm very pleased with how I'm playing. A crucial decision for me was to return to Brendan McDaid as my coach.

"Previously, I'd been flying to the United States for lessons and it was just not practical. I'm comfortable with Brendan and things have clicked back into place, so hopefully I can bring that form from the Challenge Tour into the tour school," said Browne, a former European amateur champion.

There are concerns about the state of the greens on the old course at San Roque, although Browne claimed: "It is the same for everyone, it is just a matter of getting on with it."

And among those forced to make a visit to the school this time around are the likes of former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart, past Irish Open champions David Carter and Patrik Sjoland, as well as Raymond Russell, Sven Struver, Joakim Haeggman and Darren Fichardt, all previous winners on the full tour who have fallen on tougher times.

The tour school starts on Thursday.

Among those who failed to come through PQ-2 last week were Gareth Maybin and Michael Hoey, which means the two Northern Irishmen must be contend with Challenge Tour cards for next season.

Still, one positive upshot was that the pair could start to focus on next week's World Cup at Mission Hills in China for which they have qualified.

If Maybin and/or Hoey had made it to the tour school, and if either had survived all six rounds, then it would have necessitated a carefully mapped out but rushed travel plan to get to China in time for the World Cup and also would have required playing the course blind without any time for a practice round.

At least now, the two can head out to China in good time and be well-prepared for the biggest week in their fledgling careers.

While the battle for cards takes place at tour school this week, others are able to get a head start in the 2008 Order of Merit race by competing in the Hong Kong Open.

Rory McIlroy, who secured his playing rights through winning sufficient money in just four appearances as a professional on tour, returns to tournament play where he will be joined in Hong Kong by Graeme McDowell, Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy.

It is the final tournament of the season for McGinley, Murphy and McDowell, but McIlroy and McGrane will be moving on to the following week's Australian Masters.

Pádraig Harrington, meanwhile, has resumed his position as the top European player in the world rankings after leapfrogging Justin Rose in the latest official rankings.

Harrington's fifth-place finish in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai at the weekend moved him back up to seventh place, while Rose slipped to eighth.

This week, Harrington defends his title in the Phoenix Dunlop tournament on the Japan Tour before taking a break.

After the defence of his Japanese title, the Dubliner intends to play only once more this side of Christmas, in the Target World Challenge promoted by Tiger Woods in California next month. Luke Donald and Henrik Stenson are among those players who are also competing in Japan.