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Walton keeps card in sight

Qualifying school Ireland's Philip Walton, who holed the winning putt for Europe at the 1995 Ryder Cup, stayed on track to regain…

Mon Nov 15 2004 - 00:00

Qualifying school Ireland's Philip Walton, who holed the winning putt for Europe at the 1995 Ryder Cup, stayed on track to regain his European Tour card after the fourth round of the qualifying school finals yesterday.

The 42-year-old Walton, whose last tour victory came at the 1995 English Open, was among 85 players on 10-over-par 298 or better who progressed from a field of 168 for the last two rounds at San Roque Golf Club, Cadiz.

Walton, after scores of 76, 74, 69 and 73, was tied for 19th at four-over 292.

The top 35 players and ties after the sixth and final round tomorrow will earn their European Tour cards for next year.

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Leading the way at six-under 282 yesterday were good friends Francois Delamontagne of France and Britain' s Simon Wakefield.

The 25-year-old Delamontagne, French amateur champion in 2001, was delighted to have been paired with Wakefield as he carded a two-over-par 74 in windy conditions.

"Simon is a good guy and I think that we are good for each other," he said.

"It must be working because we are leading the tournament. I hope we can finish in the top two places at the end of the week."

Wakefield, nephew of former England Test cricketer Bob Taylor, agreed their grouping yesterday had been a bonus.

"We've got on all year because we have played together a few times on Tour," said the 30-year-old after returning a 73. "Today I think we kind of pulled each other round in a way.

"I was down early on and he pulled me back up and then he was down during the middle of the round and I helped him come back into it."

Walton, meanwhile, will be joined in the final two rounds by David Higgins, Stephen Browne, Colm Moriarty and Michael Hoey while Raymond Burns just missed out after a fourth round 74 left him just one shot outside the cut.

Higgins in 41st place after a fourth round 74 is well in the hunt for one of the 35 places on offer. Stephen Browne is tied for 58th place while Moriarty and Hoey need two good rounds to lift them up the leaderboard from a position of 73rd place.

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