Coughlan into final stage

Two Irish challengers, Richard Coughlan and Sean Quinlivan, have come through comfortably from the second stage of the USPGA Tour School to claim places in the final stage at PGA West at the end of this month. With 23 players advancing from the test at Stonebridge CC, Texas at the weekend, Coughlan was tied fifth and Quinlivan seventh, a stroke further back.

Coughlan, who gained the unique distinction of winning cards on both sides of the Atlantic three years ago, played the 1998 season in the US but failed to retain exempt status. This is the first attempt at the US Tour School for Quinlivan, a former winner of the East of Ireland Championship who has already qualified for the final stage of the European Tour at San Roque, later this week.

The Stonebridge field was led by American Brent Schwarzrock with an eight-under-par total of 280. Coughlan shot rounds of 73,75,66,73 for 287 while Quinlivan carded 70, 76, 72, 70 for 288. Keith Nolan, who failed to retain his card in the US this season, missed out on Tour School qualification at another Texas venue, Deerwood GC, where he shot rounds of 70,73,72,74 for 289 and a share of 31st place.

Meanwhile, Denis O'Sullivan is through to the final Qualifying School for the US Seniors' Tour. The 52-year-old Corkman emerged from the first stage at St Augustine, Florida last weekend, after a play-off.,

Rounds of 72,78,70 and 72 for 292 meant O'Sullivan was tied 13th with three others. And with only 15 places available, the quartet went into a sudden-death play-off from which O'Sullivan was among the three survivors.

The Final School is being staged at the Eagle Pines GC at the Walt Disney Resort, Florida, starting on November 28th. The top eight receive full exemptions and the second eight conditional exemptions and as the finals field will consist of all those players who have lost their cards this season in addition to the 90 who qualified this week, O'Sullivan has a tough task ahead.

Christy O'Connor Jnr decided not to go to the school on the basis that a final, 50th placing in this year's money list would get him all the exemptions he needed for next year.