A TEN-FOOT birdie putt that pulled up one inch short of the hole cost Damien McGrane his chance of winning his PGA European Tour card in Spain yesterday. The 25-year-old Headfort assistant had birdied the 17th hole to give himself the chance of being among the 78 qualifiers who went through to the final two rounds at San Rogue today and tomorrow, but then left the life-saver at the last on the edge of the cup.

It meant he signed for a 75 in the fourth round and an eight over par total of 296, one too many to be in the shake-up for one of the 40 cards for the 1997 circuit that will be awarded from this year's Qualifying School.

Belfast's Jim Carvill also missed out by one stroke after his 77 for 296, and that meant all six Irishmen in the original line up of 183 had failed to get through the initial hurdle.

John McHenry shot 76 for 300 to finish 118th, but at least he has the consolation of knowing that he has a medical exemption for next season. To regain his Tour card he has to win around £32,000 in his first 13 starts, and the Cork professional, who has a South African tour card, will be warming up there after Christmas in the hope of making a hot start.

Belfast-born Cameron Clark, produced a fine 70 at Sotogrande but that also left him on 300, while John Murray's 77 for 304, gave him 140th position. Francis Howley never had much chance of success after his disastrous second round 84, and though he shot par on the third day, a closing 75 for 305 left him sharing 145th place.

The Irish who missed out were in good company, for former Ryder Cup golfer Paul Way, a member of Europe's victorious 1985 team at The Belfry, was also among the failures, his 75 for an 18 over par 306 putting him in 152nd place after 72 holes.

Also out are former Tournament winners Stephen McAllister, Mats Lanner, Ove Sellberg, and Daniel Silva, as well as David A Russell, winner of the first Qualifying School at Foxhills in Surrey in 1976.

McGrane had every chance of getting to play all six rounds when he began the fourth stage on five over par and got the benefit of a perfect autumn day of unbroken sunshine, and only a gentle breeze. But his short game let him down in the early stages as he three-putted the second and fifth, and as he also missed the green at the third, he had lost three shots to the card at the turn.

The crucial damage was done at the 13th when he tried to bite off too, much of the dog-leg at the 13th, and pulled his tee shot out of bounds.