McLean goes into limbo

MICHAEL McLEAN joined his schooldays friend Paul Way in professional golf limbo yesterday, and Gordon Sherry is in danger of following after a lack lustre fifth round in the PGA European Tour Qualifying School at San Roque.

McLean, one of nine Tour champions seeking to regain their card, had just scrambled into the final 36 holes, but then shot 80 for a 14 over par total of 374, and, is last of the 78 players going into today's last round.

An out of bounds drive resulting in an eight at the eighth hole, which he was playing as his 17th, torpedoed the 33 year old from Sevenoaks who won the World Under 25 championship in his second year on the Tour, and the Portuguese Open six years ago. Now, like the Ryder Cup player Way, who was eliminated after 72 holes, he must rely on invitations to play on the circuit next year.

Sherry went into the water at the 18th for the third time in as many rounds on the way to a 75 which also included four three putts and left him perilously in his effort to gain one of the 40 Tour cards, which have eluded all the Irish contingent.

The Scot stands joint 36th at six over par, and will probably need to shoot level par in his final outing to be sure of a place on the circuit in 1997.

The Londoner Brian Davis, who has led for four of the five days, has a three stroke advantage for the final round despite a seven at the long fifth where he wedged over the green and fluffed his first return chip. But he recovered brilliantly to birdie the eighth and had an eagle three at the ninth.