West golfers face qualifying lottery

Eleven South West golfers are embarking on a potential career-making month by competing in the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School at four venues in Spain.
Most notable is Chris Wood, the sensation of 2008 after his fifth placed finish in The Open at Royal Birkdale and subsequent move to the professional ranks.
Despite winning 100,000 euros in eight tournaments on the European Tour, he must join the qualifying lottery. He is joined by other notable players. They include Lee James, the former British Amateur champion from Bournemouth.
He and David Dixon (Enmore Park) qualified through Tour School last year. James has just missed retaining his card again this year. Dixon won the St Omer Open so automatically stays on tour in 2009.
Stuart Little, the left-hander from Minchin-hampton who lost his swing and his way during a disastrous 2007 season, is through. He has featured prominently on the West Region this year.
Steve Surry (Cumberwell Park) won the Jamega Tour order of merit this year. Kevin Harper (East Devon) is a past winner of the Europro merit list.
Chris Gill (Exeter) was the leading money
winner in the West Region this year and is joined by prolific regional winners David Hutton (Hamptworth) and Paul Hendriksen (Fingle Glen).
Former England international and Amateur Championship runner-up Lee Corfield (Burnham and Berrow) who has enjoyed minimal success on the Challenge Tour this year has the talent to break through.
So do Adam Frayne (St Mellion), a winner on the Challenge tour, and former England amateur star James Ruth (Tavistock) who has been winning money in Germany this summer.
The full list and venues: Arcos Gardens:
Lee Corfield, Chris
Gill, James Ruth. Montenmedio: Lee James, Stuart Little, Chris Wood. Sherry Golf Club: Adam Frayne, Paul Hendriksen, David Hutton, Steve Surry. Costa Ballena: Kevin Harper.
There are between 65 and 80 places available after the 72-hole second stage of qualifying at four courses in the Costa Luz area of Southern Spain near Portugal from November 5-8. The exact numbers will be known at the venues.
The qualifiers move on to join previously exempt players at the Tour School being held this year over the two courses at the PGA Cataluña course near Gerona in Northern Spain.
This is a testing six-round ordeal from November 13-18. The leading 30 players will earn category 11 cards for next year’s tour offering an average of 18 starts next year.