Irish trio on course to progress

European TourFormer Walker Cup player Noel Fox, from Portmarnock, is one of three Irish players on target to secure a place in next week's PGA European Tour final qualifying at San Roque. In yesterday's second round of qualifying at Pre-Qualifying II, Fox shot a round of 68 for a midway total of six-under-par 138 at Costa Ballena Golf Club, which left him in tied-19th position.

Fox was joined by fellow Dubliner Eamonn Brady, a former winner on the Canadian Tour, and Galwayman David Mortimer on the 138 mark at Ballena, where the top 27 players after tomorrow's fourth round will progress to tour school where full cards for next season's European Tour will be on offer. Brady shot his second successive round of 69 while Mortimer came in with a 67.

Spain's Carlos de Corral added a 67 to his opening round 65 to take a two-shot lead over Scotland's Lee Rhind, Argentina's Gustavo Rojas and Germany's Erol Simsek, with first-round leader John Wade, of Australia, in a four-way tie for fifth place.

Fox, Brady and Mortimer were the only Irish players in position to advance to San Roque at the midway stage at Ballena, although Jimmy Bolger produced a second round 68 to be on 139 in tied-29th and within touching distance of grabbing a ticket to the final qualifying school.

John Kelly, who had been fourth overnight, fell to a second round 74 for 141 which left him in tied-43rd position and with some work to do.

In all, there are 10 Irishmen in action at Ballena with Chris Moriarty shooting a 70 for 143 (tied-55th), Irish amateur internationals Michael McGeady and Darren Crowe shooing rounds of 69 and 71 respectively to be in tied-60th position on 144, while Alan Murray (69) and Danny Sugure (74) were on 145 in tied-67th place with two more rounds to go.

South Africa's Jean Hugo produced the best round of the day across the three stage two venues, posting a seven-under-par 64 at the Catalunya to take a two-stroke lead from former Challenge Tour number one Michele Reale, of Italy.

Hugo is looking to return to the kind of form that saw him record a career-high finish 34th on the European Tour order of Merit in 2001, and he went the right way about doing just that during the second round with an excellent showing to move into the lead from Reale, who posted a second-round 70 to move to seven under par at the halfway stage.

It wasn't such a good second round for Hermitage golfer Greg Bowden, who slipped down the field after a 77 to be on 147 in tied-60th position.

European Tour Qualifying School (Irish scores): At Costa Bellena: 138 - N Fox 70 68, E Brady 69 69, D Mortimer 71 67; 139 - J Bolger 71 68; 141 - J Kelly 67 74; 143 - C Moriarty 73 70; 144 - M McGeady 75 69; Darren Crowe 73 71; 145 - A Murray 76 69; D Sugure 71 74. At Golf de Catalunya: 147 - G Bowden 70 77.