Disaster for Drysdale as the Q-School looms large

Agony, absolute agony for the second year running. Please take some time out today to think of David Drysdale? the Scotsman finished in 119th place in the European Tour Order of Merit, missing out on a maintaining full playing privileges for the 2007 season by just one place. Deja vu can be a funny thing but Drysdale (pictured) is unlikely to be laughing this morning ? exactly the same thing happened last year!

The Mallorca Classic at the weekend was the final ranking event for players hovering around the dreaded cut-off line to pick up some much needed euros and despite Niclas Fasth?s impressive victory, there is no doubt where the real drama came from.

The nerves were jangling and the bowels swaying for a whole host of players. The tournament started with Drysdale sitting in 114th position and England?s Ian Garbutt, Italy?s Alessandro Tadini, Australia?s Matthew Millar and Gary Murphy of Ireland following him down to the crucial 118th position. However, there was one critical factor ? after his narrow failure to retain his full card last year, Drysdale was not eligible for Mallorca and could only watch, hope and pray, hard!

As the tournament kicked on, Drysdale must have realised that it simply wasn?t going to be his day or in fact his year, again. Gary Murphy started the final round tied for the lead ? one down for Drysdale ? and both Tadini and Millar enjoyed fruitful weeks, moving up well inside the top 40, to guarantee their playing rights. Ian Garbutt had to sweat a little more than most but a final round of 71 left him tied for 64th and earned him 4112 euros, enough to push him into 117th spot.

This would have left Drysdale sitting precariously in 118th but he must have known that it wasn?t going to happen and former World Cup winner David Carter made waves after starting the week in 120th position. The 34-year-old needed to finish 37th or better to sneak into the qualifying positions and condemn Drysdale to a second successive Q-School. With veteran caddie, Pete Coleman, on his bag the Englishman kept his nerve and finished tied for 27th ? enough to push him into 117th, leaving Garbutt at 118th and everyone else floundering in the murky waters.

For many golf will become a dirty word for a couple of weeks as they contemplate heading off to the dreaded Qualifying School Final Stage at San Roque next month. It doesn?t matter how good a player you are or have been, the Q School is an experience that no golfer relishes. Thomas Levet, Joakim Haeggman and Per-Ulrik Johansson might all have graced the Ryder Cup, but they will joining the likes of Jonathon Lomas, Jamie Spence, Andrew Oldcorn and many, many others.

However, no one will be cursing his luck more than David Drysdale ? lets just hope that the old adage of things coming in threes doesn?t prove accurate this time next year!