Date: November 11, 2019
Author: David Tease and Mark Hayes

Windred on top at Euro tour school

New South Welshman Blake Windred has booked his place in the European Tour School final stage after winning his second stage qualifying at the Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria, Spain.

Windred carded rounds of 68-68-66-76 to win comfortably by five shots from Frenchman Sebastian Gros.

Joining Windred will be Wollongong’s Jordan Zunic, who finished at one-under, and Newcastle's Nick Flanagan, who finished at even par, all safely inside the top 20 who advanced.

The six-round final stage is scheduled for Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain, for 15-20 November, when the top 25 and ties earn cards for 2020.

As bad weather caused havoc across different parts of Spain, only one other Aussie completed his four rounds, with Shepparton's Kyle Michel missing out at Las Calinas in Alicante where he finished T60.

There are two other Q-school venues yet to finish.

At Club de Golf Bonmont in Tarragona, David Micheluzzi is poised to advance when play resumes, six off the lead but, at five under, four shots clear of the projected cut line.

At the same venue, his fellow Victorian Ben Eccles is one shot adrift of that top 20 at even par, while Sydney's Justin Warren is a further shot back at one over, alongside new professional Blake Collyer, of Melbourne.

At weather-affected Alenda in Alicante, Victorian Deyen Lawson is well placed, four shots from the lead at four under in a share of third place.

However, he has only played 36 holes, with some of the field having already completed their third rounds, making an accurate judgement on relative positions a tall order.

West Australian pair Jarryd Felton and Ben Ferguson are both two under in a share of ninth, but both are also yet to start their third rounds.

South Australia's Nick Cullen is through 54 holes, but is three over and in a share of 34th, three better than Harrison Endycott, whose fellow New South Welshman Daniel Gale is another shot back, but with 36 to play.

The final round for Windred always shaped as a formality after he packed a huge lead into the final round.

The former world amateur No.11 played in conditions he described as brutal, his final round four-over 76 proving that point as wind gusts reached almost 80km/h in the Andalucia region

“It was tough today,” Windred said.

“It was still until about 11; then it was absolutely brutal.”

With qualification for the final stage the sole purpose of the week, Windred said some simple advice he received from fellow New South Welshman Dimi Papadatos helped his state of mind.

“It definitely feels a little more cut-throat than your average tournament, but that’s what I like most.

“If you play good golf, you will get through, and if you don’t play good you will miss, that’s what Dimi told me,” Windred said.

 

 

 

 

New South Welshman Blake Windred has booked his place in the European Tour School final stage after winning his second stage qualifying at the Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria, Spain.
Windred carded rounds of 68-68-66-76 to win comfortably by five shots from Frenchman Sebastian Gros.
Joining Windred will be Wollongong’s Jordan Zunic, who finished at one-under, and Newcastle's Nick Flanagan, who finished at even par, all safely inside the top 20 who advanced.
The six-round final stage is scheduled for Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain, for 15-20 November, when the top 25 and ties earn cards for 2020.
As bad weather caused havoc across different parts of Spain, only one other Aussie completed his four rounds, with Shepparton's Kyle Michel missing out at Las Calinas in Alicante where he finished T60.
There are two other Q-school venues yet to finish.
At Club de Golf Bonmont in Tarragona, David Micheluzzi is poised to advance when play resumes, six off the lead but, at five under, four shots clear of the projected cut line.
At the same venue, his fellow Victorian Ben Eccles is one shot adrift of that top 20 at even par, while Sydney's Justin Warren is a further shot back at one over, alongside new professional Blake Collyer, of Melbourne.
At weather-affected Alenda in Alicante, Victorian Deyen Lawson is well placed, four shots from the lead at four under in a share of third place.
However, he has only played 36 holes, with some of the field having already completed their third rounds, making an accurate judgement on relative positions a tall order.
West Australian pair Jarryd Felton and Ben Ferguson are both two under in a share of ninth, but both are also yet to start their third rounds.
South Australia's Nick Cullen is through 54 holes, but is three over and in a share of 34th, three better than Harrison Endycott, whose fellow New South Welshman Daniel Gale is another shot back, but with 36 to play.
The final round for Windred always shaped as a formality after he packed a huge lead into the final round.
The former world amateur No.11 played in conditions he described as brutal, his final round four-over 76 proving that point as wind gusts reached almost 80km/h in the Andalucia region
“It was tough today,” Windred said.
“It was still until about 11; then it was absolutely brutal.”
With qualification for the final stage the sole purpose of the week, Windred said some simple advice he received from fellow New South Welshman Dimi Papadatos helped his state of mind.
“It definitely feels a little more cut-throat than your average tournament, but that’s what I like most.
“If you play good golf, you will get through, and if you don’t play good you will miss, that’s what Dimi told me,” Windred said.