Alejandro Canizares and Zander Lombard lead 27 qualifiers

Alejandro Cañizares and Zander Lombard were joint winners of the final stage of European Tour's final stage event at the Lumine Golf Club. 27 golfers earned their cards for the 2019 season

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Alejandro Canizares and Zander Lombard won the final stage of the qualifying event

European Tour Release, 16 November 2018: Alejandro Cañizares and Zander Lombard shared the spoils on top of the leaderboard at the conclusion of this year’s Qualifying School Final Stage as 27 players earned European Tour cards.

Following six rounds at Lumine Golf Club South Africa’s Lombard and Spain’s Canizares could not be separated on 24 under par, and as is customary in the case of a tie in the event, the duo were crowned joint winners with no play-off taking place.

On a day of high drama in Tarragona several players made big moves to secure their playing privileges on the European Tour for 2019. South Africa’s Louis de Jager was the first to seal his spot in the top 25 and ties, firing a bogey-free score of 66 to progress from Q-School for the first time in five attempts.

Also making late charges into the European Tour places were Italy’s Filippo Bergamaschi and Chile’s Hugo Leon. Bergamaschi birdied five of his closing eight holes to make the top 25 on the number, while Leon bagged his only birdie of the day on the 18th to also go through on the mark – which was 16 under par.

Three-time European Tour winner Marc Warren bounced back from a bogey on the 17th with a closing birdie to take the 19th card, while Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan – the only amateur to make the cut this year – also squeezed through after a final round of 72.

Former Amateur Champion Scott Gregory, who hit headlines for shooting 92 in the opening round of the U.S. Open five months ago, claimed the 12th card after coming through all three stages of Q-School this year – one of seven players to achieve the feat this season.

“It was difficult for me, it’s been a weird two years coming over here and I couldn’t be happier. My future wife is pregnant and I’m going to be a father soon. There’s many good things happening at the moment,” said Canizares.

“I’ve played in three Q-Schools now, it’s been a long time that has gone really quickly since I started on the Tour in 2006, and I knew my golf was there it just wasn’t happening the last two years. I had a couple of injuries, some personal things and golf wasn’t happening.

“And now, all those things are gone, and I can just play and focus on my game and get the confidence back hopefully. I’m over the moon.”

The final Q-School rankings can be downloaded here: Q School 2018 Final Ranking.pdf

Scores:

404 A Cañizares (Esp) 65 71 64 74 66 64; Z Lombard (RSA) 64 68 70 70 64 68;
405 J Winther (Den) 65 70 68 70 64 68; K Kitayama (USA) 70 65 70 65 66 69;
406 R Langasque (Fra) 70 65 70 65 66 70;
407 N Lemke (Swe) 68 64 71 69 70 65; B Ritthammer (Ger) 65 70 69 69 65 69; C Sordet (Fra) 70 66 63 68 71 69;
408 I Cantero Gutierrez (Esp) 65 68 70 68 70 67; A Karlsson (Swe) 67 64 71 67 68 71;
409 M Kawamura (Jpn) 67 68 70 69 67 68; S Gregory (Eng) 69 71 62 72 66 69;
410 L De Jager (RSA) 71 66 71 67 70 65; P Langfors (Swe) 70 72 67 69 65 67; G Migliozzi (Ita) 70 65 72 66 68 69; N Cullen (Aus) 70 64 71 67 69 69; D Lawson (Aus) 65 70 71 71 63 70; D Gavins (Eng) 62 69 66 69 73 71;
411 M Warren (Sco) 68 67 73 69 66 68;
412 F Bergamaschi (Ita) 67 69 69 68 73 66; K Johannessen (Nor) 69 67 70 69 70 67; H Leon (Chi) 71 67 67 70 66 71; G Moynihan (Irl) 68 66 71 70 66 71; M Schmitt (Ger) 62 71 70 68 70 71; D Borda (Esp) 65 62 72 70 72 71; K Reitan (am) (Nor) 63 70 71 67 69 72; B Evans (Eng) 68 67 71 68 65 73;

 

 

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