Ferguson has tour card in his grasp after fine 64

BEARSDEN’S Ewen Ferguson barged his way into the cardwinning places during a charging fourth round in the European Tour’s qualifying school final at Lumine near Barcelona yesterday.

The former British Boys’ champion and Walker Cup player blasted an eight-under 64 to surge into a share of 17th on a 10-under aggregate and sit inside a top 25 spot required to earn a place on the 2020 European Tour.

Ferguson, who has been making good strides on the second-tier Challenge Tour and posted a second, a third and a fourth this season, reeled off eight birdies in a thrusting round which propelled the 23-year-old into the qualifying zone with 36-holes of the 108-hole test to go.

Marc Warren, who lost his full playing rights after a miserable 2019, kept himself in the hunt to regain his card with a 69 to share 30th on seven-under while Barassie rookie Euan Walker is a shot further back on six-under.

The fact he has made the 72-hole cut in the q-school final ensures that Walker will at least have a full Challenge Tour category for next year. The former Walker Cup player is not out of the running for a main tour card yet, however.

Craig Howie and Daniel Young both survived the cut on the fourunder limit but Liam Johnston, who lost his full tour card at the end of the 2019 season, departed early despite a spirited 66 which left him one shot shy of the qualifying mark.

At the head of the field, Denmark’s Benjamin Poke extended his lead to three shots with a 67 to reach 16-under.

Former European Tour winners, Lee Slattery, Matteo Manassero, Gregory Bourdy, Gonzalo Fernandez Castano and Michael Hoey, were among the high profile names to miss the fourth round cut.