Coughlan ready to go back to school

Ireland's Richie Coughlan will attempt to regain his playing rights in the United States when the final stage of US Tour qualifying…

Ireland's Richie Coughlan will attempt to regain his playing rights in the United States when the final stage of US Tour qualifying gets underway tomorrow.

The Birr native, who currently resides in New York, tied sixth at regional qualifying last week and is among a number of Europeans striving to earn their US card.

Former Ryder Cup player Per-Ulrik Johansson is among the big names teeing it up, the Swede missing out on keeping his card by just one place.

Johansson, who married Jesper Parnevik's sister Jill last year, finished 126th on the money list, less than $3,000 from safety.

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Fellow Swede Mathias Gronberg is also attempting to qualify along with India's Arjun Atwal, twice a winner on the European Tour, and Open runner-up Thomas Levet.

Levet has been playing primarily in America since losing a play-off to Ernie Els in 2002 at Muirfield, but finished 130th on the money list despite finishing sixth in the final event of the year.