Keith Nolan remained on course in his attempt to win his US Tour card for 2000 when he added a level par 70 in the third round of the final qualifying school at the Doral Resort in Florida yesterday to stay on seven-under-par, sufficient to leave him in a tie for fifth place at the halfway stage of the marathon qualifying process.
The top-35 finishers and ties earn their ticket to next season's tour and the 26-year-old Irishman - who survived the qualifying process two years ago but who was then forced to survive on the secondary Nike tour last season - consolidated his position in difficult, windy conditions with a second successive 70 to follow his opening round 63.
Nolan is just two shots adrift of halfway leader Craig Bowden. The native of Bray, a graduate of East Tennessee State and a former Walker Cup player, was one-under-par for his opening nine holes yesterday but dropped a shot on the way home.
Nevertheless, he is in good position to secure his tour card, which is his primary objective, and also to challenge for the $50,000 top prize. Bowden leads by one shot from a trio of Craig Spence, Cameron Beckman and Robin Freeman heading into today's fourth round. The process finishes after Monday's sixth round.
Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia recorded seven birdies to share a two-stroke lead with European tour-mate Thomas Bjorn of Denmark after two rounds in the Phoenix tournament in Miyazaki, Japan.
The 19-year-old Spaniard made four birdies on the final seven holes after offsetting three birdies with a bogey and a double bogey on the front nine, for his 67 and a total of 135 (seven under par).
Bjorn went out four strokes off the pace and surged up front with five birdies against no bogey for his 66. Darren Clarke repeated his first-day score of 70.
Overnight leader Kaname Yokoo and fellow Japanese Shusaku Sugimoto followed Garcia and Bjorn on 137. Defending champion Lee Westwood fired a 67 for a three-way tie on 138 with Japan's Tsukasa Watanabe and Hisayuki Sasaki.
"My shots were steady and I played good golf," said Garcia, playing in his only second Japanese event.
"The undulation of the course makes it tough to play," said Bjorn, aiming for his first win this season in this richest Japanese tournament carrying a total purse of $1.9 million. The winner takes home $380,000.
