Date: November 19, 2007
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Aussies hang tough at school

Four Australians will join New Zealander Gareth Paddison in the fifth round of the cut-throat European Tour qualifying school tournament in Spain. The field – which began at 879 – has been whittled down to 71. The top 30 after the sixth and final round of the 108-hole tournament at the San Roque Club will win their way on to the European Tour for 2008. The hopes of Australians Terry Pilkadaris, Matthew Millar, Scott Barr and veteran Peter Senior remain alive, while Alker is the lone Kiwi still in the hunt after round four. A host of Aussies missed the fourth-round cut of one-over-par. Adam Bland carded a two-over-par 74 on Sunday to be that score for the week, meaning his tournament came to an early end. Gavin Flint recorded a round of 69, but it left him one shot shy of the cut, too. David Branson (71) and Wade Ormsby (70) both crashed out when they ended the day at three-over-par, while Adam Blyth&aposs 69 meant he was five-over-par and out of the race. The final remaining Australian, Jarrod Moseley, finished in a tie for 139th courtesy of a round of 75 which saw him 10-over-par after four rounds. Paddison&aposs compatriot, Steve Alker, will pack his bags and head home. He shot 71 on day four to leave him seven-over-par and tied for 122nd place. Pilkadaris rocketed up the leaderboard with a scorching round of 66 to move to five-under-par and a share of 14th. Millar is one shot behind his countryman following his round of 71 while Barr is one-under-par for the tournament after matching Millar in the fourth round. Senior, 48, scraped into the fifth round after recording a disappointing 75 to leave him square with the card. At the head of the pack, South Africa&aposs Thomas Aiken and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain lead the way on ten-under-par after respective fourth rounds of 68 and 70 over San Roque Club&aposs Old Course. The best performance of the day, however, came on the New Course at the same venue where England&aposs Lee Slattery produced a masterful eight-under-par 64 to move from the cut line into contention. There are six players even with Slattery on seven-under-par.