Lancashire ace finishes in a tie for 51st at Q-School
Lancashire’s Callan Barrow earned himself Challenge Tour status after finishing in a tie for 51st at Q-School today.
The 24-year-old, who is expected to turn professional shortly, was the only amateur to make the 72-hole cut at the gruelling six-round event where the top 28 gained their full DP World Tour cards at The Infinitum Club near Barcelona.
The other 44 players making the cut were guaranteed a full Challenge Tour card with Barrow, who had club-mate Jamie Van Wyk caddying for him once again, finishing five shots behind those in a tie for 23rd.
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Although at one point today the former Scottish Open champion looked well placed for a late surge into the top 28 at Q-School having got to four under par for his final round.
However back-to-back bogeys on the 17th and 18th – he started on the tenth – effectively ended his hopes of achieving his dream goal.
The considerable achievement represents a huge high for the former England international, who endured a battle with his driver in the first half of the season.
But in the Autumn things started to turn his way, noticeably at the first stage of Q-School last month at Mottram Hall, where a closing 67 saw him make it through in 12th.
And then Barrow maintained that great form when it really mattered at Infinitum, comfortably making the cut on eight under thanks to rounds of 68, 67, 73 and 70.
Yesterday he moved up the leaderboard and into 42nd thanks to a three-under-par 68 before finishing off with a 70 this morning.
There was not such good news for Welsh international Luke Harries. The Tenby player’s second round 77 gave him a mountain to climb in terms of making the last two days and, on Sunday and Monday, he would close with a 70 and 71 to finish seven shots adrift of the 72-hole cut mark.
At the top of the leaderboard there was a stunning effort from 2016 English Amateur champion Dan Brown. The Yorkshireman earned his tour card by finishing third overall, just three shots behind leading qualifier Simon Forsström. The experienced Swede closed on -29 for his six rounds while Frenchman David Ravetto was two shots further back in second.