February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By John Manley
Keith Nolan earned fully exempt status on the Buy.com Tour for 2002 at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament at the Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Nolan, who hails from Bray, Co. Wicklow, shot 418 (69-72-66-71-66-74) for 108 holes.
He finished three strokes off the highest number (415) that qualified for next year’s PGA Tour. The top 35 finishers plus ties made the PGA Tour, while the remainder of the field earned either a full or conditional exemption on next year’s Buy.com Tour, which will labor under a new name, which has not yet been decided, in 2002.
Nolan, a graduate of East Tennessee State, where he earned All-America honors, has put in two years on the PGA Tour, as well as two years on the lesser circuit. He had no status on either tour last year.
Euro Senior Q-School
Joe McDermott played his way back onto the European PGA Seniors Tour with a fifth-place finish at the Qualifying Tournament at Pestana Resort and the Alto Golf & Country Club in Carvoeiro, Portugal.
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McDermott, an Irish native who now lives in Florida, shot 280 (70-73-67-70) for 72 holes. The low man was Steve Stull at 265. Failing to qualify was Raymond Kane. His 295 (74-70-73-78) was 11 strokes off the 284 needed to qualify.
Olivos Masters
Sean Quinlivan tied for 27th place in the Telefonica-Olivos Masters at the Olivos Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He carded 289 (71-73-72-73) for 72 holes. Angel Cabrera’s 272 earned the winner’s laurels.