Higgins braced for Tour School test

KEEPING THINGS in perspective is crucial for the 156 hopefuls who will tee it up in the first round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya over the next six days.

But while players such as Waterville’s David Higgins and Liverpudlian Nick Dougherty have tasted the big time and know what it takes to get there, juggling desire and expectations with mounting pressure is the big challenge for the less experienced campaigners at Denis O’Brien’s 36-hole Catalan resort.

Dougherty breezed through the Q-School at his first attempt a decade ago but after making just one cut this season, the 29-year-old former Rookie of the Year is trying hard to be philosophical about his bid to finish in the top 30 and ties who will win cards after six rounds

Dougherty said yesterday: “It’s often referred to as the dreaded Tour School, but we’re only here to play golf – it’s like we’re expected to find a cure for cancer this week!”

Higgins (39) is making his eighth appearance at the final stage and while he hasn’t held a full tour card since 2006, he remains hopeful.

He said: “It would be fantastic and give me another shot on tour. It is just about trying to be relaxed, which is the hardest thing to do because you want it so badly.”

“The courses are wet and playing very long, so the ball is not travelling. Some guys might panic a little bit because of that, but I’ll just get on with it.”

Limerick Golf Club’s Cian McNamara believes he’s on a shot to nothing in his first appearance at the finals as he’s about to qualify as a PGA professional.

“I might as well keep going and try to get as much as I can out of this,” said the Ballyclough man, who knows that making the 72-hole cut would give him a strong Challenge Tour card.

Failure is not an option for Ulstermen Jonathan Caldwell and Florida-based Chris Devlin who otherwise face a return to mini-tour obscurity.

“It’s do or die, it really is,” said Caldwell, who earned his card here in 2008 only to lose it immediately.

“Making the four-round cut would at least get me back on the Challenge Tour.”

Florida-based Devlin (36) is hoping to finally hit the jackpot after nine years of struggles as a professional.