Golf: Ireland's David Higgins has won a European Tour card for 2013 after finishing tied 16th at the qualifying finals in Spain. The 39-year-old Kerryman needed to finish in the top 25 and did so with a two-under-par 70 at the at the PGA Catalunya Resort today, for a seven under total after six rounds.

The Waterville man bogeyed the last but was two shots inside the cut, with three birdies in four holes on the back nine proving crucial to his progress after a level par 36 before the turn.

“Delighted,” Higgins said after what he described as the most important round of his career. “Words can’t describe how tight you feel coming down the last few holes there. It just twists you inside. You only get one go at it and if you mess it up, that’s it."

Four years after he walked away from the Challenge Tour, winning a European Tour event is still his top priority and he sees no reason why he can’t make that dream come true having finally made it back into the big time.

“It’s where I feel I belong,” said Higgins, who could play in 20 tournaments next year. “Put me on the right course in the right conditions and I feel I can win tournaments. I’m not just saying that. I am a better player now. And I’ve got the chance.”

Compatriots Niall Kearney, Simon Thornton and Peter O’Keeffe, as well as Northern Ireland’s Gareth Shaw and Chris Devlin, missed the fourth-round cut in Girona.

England's John Parry topped the leaderboard on 19 under, for a four-shot lead over Sweden's Mikael Lundberg.

European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, PGA Catalunya Resort, Girona, Spain. (Last two rounds, Stadium Course Par 72)

409J Parry (Eng) 71 71 64 67 66 70;

413M Lundberg (Swe) 68 68 65 73 70 69;

415A Sullivan (Eng) 71 67 65 69 72 71;

417E Goya (Arg) 64 71 64 73 76 69; P Erofejeff (Fin) 72 67 66 73 69 70; M Lampert (am) (Ger) 70 67 65 71 70 74;

418D Gaunt (Aus) 74 68 68 69 69 70; M Southgate

(Eng) 72 70 65 68 68 75;

419E De La Riva

(Esp) 70 70 65 73 70 71; R McEvoy

(Eng) 67 72 64 70 73 73; M Nixon (Eng) 68 72 67 68 70 74; A Snobeck

(Fra) 69 67 68 69 72 74; M Korhonen (Fin) 74 62 66 71 70 76;

420M Delpodio

(Ita) 67 69 65 79 69 71; B Ã…kesson (Swe) 70 72 66 67 70 75;

421C Lloyd (Eng) 73 69 68 75 69 67; M Jonzon (Swe) 74 69 66 70 73 69; D Higgins (Irl) 73 64 68 74 72 70; M Madsen

(Den) 78 66 64 70 70 73;

422C Macaulay

(Sco) 71 71 66 74 69 71; S Little (Eng) 70 68 67 77 69 71; O Floren

(Swe) 71 66 70 72 71 72; J Lagergren (Swe) 71 66 67 70 74 74;

423A Levy (Fra) 68 72 71 67 75 70; L Jensen (Den) 70 74 65 74 69 71; S Arnold

(Aus) 67 73 67 72 73 71; C Del Moral (Esp) 70 71 68 72 70 72; G Orr (Sco) 67 69 68 74 72 73;

(Non-qualifiers)

424D Griffiths

(Eng) 67 72 70 75 69 71; G Murray

(Sco) 66 71 70 71 72 74;

425J Barnes (Eng) 77 69 74 65 72 68; T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 69 71 71 74 70 70; S Benson (Eng) 75 70 67 70 72 71; O Wilson (Eng) 75 68 72 70 68 72; P Hedblom (Swe) 70 69 66 76 72 72; J Timmis (Eng) 74 69 66 77 66 73; B An (Kor) 69 72 66 75 70 73; J Lima (Por) 76 67 64 74 71 73;

426J Ruth

(Eng) 70 71 69 76 71 69; H Bacher (Aut) 74 68 66 75 74 69; A Domingo (Esp) 70 70 69 72 74 71;

428D Kemmer (USA) 79 66 74 66 71 72; M Sell

(Eng) 74 67 68 73 70 76;

429S Hutsby

(Eng) 74 68 73 70 73 71; J Hugo

(RSA) 71 72 64 77 74 71; A McArthur

(Sco) 80 67 71 65 75 71; G Boyd

(Eng) 76 70 73 67 70 73; C Brazillier

(Fra) 69 74 66 75 72 73; A Marshall (Eng) 75 67 67 77 69 74; A Forsyth (Sco) 75 65 68 75 71 75; T Remkes (Ned) 71 72 68 69 72 77; D Im (USA) 72 66 70 72 70 79;

430T Murray (Eng) 68 72 70 73 76 71; M Brier (Aut) 71 69 73 70 75 72;

431C Kim (USA) 73 66 69 77 74 72; T Haylock

(Eng) 74 72 71 68 72 74; J Huldahl (Den) 76 70 72 66 72 75; S Dodd (Wal) 77 70 68 68 73 75; M Glauert (Ger) 73 70 64 74 74 76;

432W Besseling

(Ned) 69 73 70 72 78 70; S Kim (Kor) 78 67 77 63 75 72; T Pilkadaris (Aus) 75 73 71 67 73 73; F Calmels

(Fra) 72 72 65 75 74 74; J Glennemo (Swe) 72 69 68 73 76 74; D Dixon (Eng) 72 74 73 66 72 75; O Bekker (RSA) 73 72 71 67 74 75;

N Ravano (Ita) 74 70 69 72 71 76;

433D Vancsik (Arg) 75 68 68 73 75 74; Ã… Nilsson (Swe) 74 69 68 74 73 75;

434J Howarth (Eng) 75 67 69 75 77 71;

435R McGowan

(Eng) 77 71 70 66 75 76;

438S Norris

(RSA) 68 72 71 73 80 74;

444T Van Der Walt (RSA) 71 69 70 72 81 81;