ARNOTT, JAMES STILL HAVE CHANCE
OF GAINING SENIOR PASS MARKS
Only one round to go in the European Senior Tour Final Qualifying School and only two Scots, Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) and David James from Dumfries have a serious chance of making the top 14 who will gain playing rights on the over-50s circuit in the coming season.
Ideally, they are aiming for a top-six finish which would get them into all the tournaments but they would probably settle for the a place among the leading 14 who will gain limited access to the senior schedule.
Arnott is on the right side of the border in joint 13th place on two-over 215 with scores of 71, 70 and 74. He was going along nicely until he had a double bogey 7 at the long 16th and a bogey at the 17th - three shots he could ill-afford to squander at this stage.
James, who won the Senior Q School 12 months ago but failed to keep his card at the end of the season is joint 16th on 216 with scores of 71, 73 and 73.
James started badly - and finished badly. He bogeyed the first and third the, having rallied to birdied the fifth, sixth and 14th, he let it slip again with bogeys at the16th and 17th.
The hopes of Albert Mackenzie (Saunton), Kenny Hutton (Downfield), Stephen McAllister (Renaissance Club) and Terry Burgoyne (Glencruitten) look to be over for another year.
Mackenzie is joint 38th on 220 after his best round yet, a 71.
Hutton is joint 43rd on 222 after starting the third round with a double bogey 6 and dropped further hsots at the fourth, sixth and eighth on his way to a five-over-par 76.
McAllister is sharing 48th place on 223 after a 74 while Burgoyne is joint 60th in a field of 71 players after a 73 for 227.
EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Pestana Golf Resort, Pinta course, Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal.
LEADING THIRD-ROUND SCORES
Par 213 (3x71)
205 Steve Cipa (Eng) 70 69 66
206 Andrew Murray (Eng) 69 69 68.
210 Gary Marks (Eng) 69 72 69, Barry Conser (USA) 70 69 71
SCOTS' SCORES
215 Robert Arnott 71 70 74 (T13)
216 David James 71 72 73 (T16)
220 Albert Mackenzie 74 75 71 (T38))
222 Kenny Hutton 74 72 76 (T43)
223 Stephen McAllister 78 71 74 (T48)
227 Terry Burgoyne 75 79 73 (T60).
Field of 71 players