DAVID Morland IV is back on top of a Staysure Tour Qualifying School leaderboard – and takes a one-shot lead into the last round of Final Stage at Pestana Golf Resort, on Thursday.
The Canadian, who won First Stage at Gramacho Golf Course last week, sits on 10-under par following rounds of 66, 70 and 67.
Morland is aiming to wrap up his second consecutive victory to complete the task of securing one of five Staysure Tour cards available in the Algarve this week.
“I’ve been playing well for a while now,” Morland said. “I’m not getting ahead of myself. I’m just taking it one shot at a time and putting well, so I’ve just got to keep going.
“It’s the old cliché of taking it shot by shot until the 72nd hole and then you add them up when you’re done.
πIt was nice to play a solid round today and I look forward to tomorrow.”
The former PGA Tour player is making his second appearance at Final Stage after narrowly missing out on a card in 2019.
The two-time winner on the Nationwide Tour knows the importance of trusting the work he has been putting into his game.
“I do my prep work prior to the tournament, so at this point it’s more about conserving energy, staying rested for tomorrow and being ready to go,” added Morland, who came through the PGA Tour Qualifying School, in 1999 and 2000.
Kiwi Michael Long sits alone in second place on nine-under following his third consecutive sub-70 round, while Scottish amateur Euan McIntosh occupies third place on eight-under par.
Hampshire amateur Martin Young is joined by three fellow Englishmen – Woburn’s Mark Wharton, plus Surrey pair Andrew Raitt and Gary Marks – in a share of fourth place on six-under.
Of the quartet, it was Wharton who stole the show on moving day by converting nine birdies – including five in a row to start the back nine – and an eagle to card his lowest round as a professional, an eight- under par 63.
The effort moved him 30 places up the leaderboard and has put a Staysure Tour return in sight for the Bedfordshire county player, who 20 years ago.
Wharton, along with fellow Staysure pro and county team-mate John Kemp, a former British Mid-Amateur Champion, played regularly for Bedfordshire against Young in the South East Qualifiers for the English County Finals.
Brokenhurst Manor member Young made a strong start to his third round in Portugal.
Two birdies in the first three holes saw him reach the turn in two-under after giving up a third birdie at the sixth, with a bogey five at the seventh.
The 2006 English Mid-Amateur Champion, who became the first player in Hampshire history to complete the county’s Grand Slam of all four major men’s titles in the same season in 2014, then burst into life on the back nine.
Showing no respect to the seasoned seniors professionals trying to regain their cards, Young made three birdies in a row from the 11th to get to five-under on his round.
But he had to settle for a par-in conclusion to his third round, having moved into one of the crucial five spots at the top of the leaderboard, finishing the third round in that share of fourth.
If there is a tie for the fifth and final card at the end of 72 holes on Thursday, the honours will be decided by a sudden death play-off.
•The last round of Staysure Tour Qualifying School begins tomorrow at 9:00 am local time while the final group of Morland IV, Long and McIntosh is set to go at 9.50am.
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Picture by ANDREW GRIFIFN / AMG PICTURES
Young eyes Seniors’ prizes as pro or amateur
MARTIN Young, who turns 50 later this summer, has helped Hampshire reach seven English County Finals since 2001.
In 2017, Young led his team to their first victory in 21 years – when a teenage Justin Rose was in the team – at Trevose, which is now a European Seniors Tour venue.
Frenchman Jean-Francois Remesy claimed his first title in England at the spectacular North Cornwall links.
The field has been cut to only those players within eight shots of the last qualification spot, meaning that 39 players on two over par or better will play tomorrow’s final round.
Young travelled to Portugal having opted to retain his amateur status, but will be eligible to try to qualify for the British Seniors Open, which takes place at Sunningdale – a course that he has tasted success at on the mid-amateur circuit – in August, regardless of whether he turns pro or not.
