European Tour wannabes start stage two of this year's Qualifying School today and six Irish golfers are in action at two of the three venues in use, Emporda and Peralada, all hoping to emerge on Friday with one of the top 25 places which will guarantee them a trip to the Final Qualifying School at San Roque in three weeks time.

Included at Emporda is Tullamore's Richard Coughlan, who came through the first stage of qualification at Five Lakes in England a month ago. Joining him is Newry's Jim Carvill who will be hoping to gift himself a belated birthday present, having turned 33 only a fortnight ago.

Another player who celebrated his birthday recently is Kilkenny's Gary Murphy, the 1992 Irish Amateur champion, who was 27 on October 15th and who will commence his challenge at Peralada. Joining Murphy is another former Irish Amateur champion, Peter Lawrie, James Loughnane and John Dwyer from Ashbourne.