Published July 17, 2008 on February 2, 2019

Thelen Triumphs as Five Earn Cards at Staysure Tour Q-School

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Tim Thelen earned his second Staysure Tour Qualifying School Final Stage title as a final round 69 meant he finished on five under par at Pestana Golf Resort in Portugal, subsequently securing full playing privileges for the 2019 season.

The American carded rounds of 73-71-66-69 to finish one shot ahead of José Manuel Carriles, who clinched the second Staysure Tour card in second, while Dan Olsen finished third on three under par and André Bossert came fourth on two under par.

The final card went to Englishman Stuart Little who overcame countryman Peter Wilson in a play-off, birdieing the second extra hole to secure the fifth and final card on a dramatic day in Portugal.

Thelen, who was making his first appearance at Qualifying School since he won both First Stage and Final Stage in 2010, came out on top after three back-nine birdies counteracted a two-over par front nine.

Spaniard Carriles posted a level par 71 to safely earn a card while Olsen will play on the Staysure Tour for the first time in 2019, despite a four-over-par 75 on Day Four.

Bossert, who led Final Stage at the end of Day Two, dramatically earned his playing privileges with back-to-back birdies on his final two holes after a one over par first 16 holes had left his hopes hanging by a thread.

With four men safely in possession of cards, it was down to Little and Wilson to fight it out for the final spot.

Little, a two-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, holed a magnificent 30-foot putt on the 72^nd hole to ensure he would compete in a play-off with his compatriot Wilson.

The duo parred the first extra hole – the 17^th – and therefore teed it up on the 18^th as the crowds eagerly anticipated a nail-biting finale.

Both men found the fairway with their tee shot, but it was Little who gained the advantage as he hit a superb seven iron to four feet and rolled home the birdie putt to defeat Wilson.

Final scores:

279 T Thelen (USA) 73 71 66 69,
280 J Carriles (Esp) 72 71 66 71,
281 D Olsen (USA) 73 67 66 75,
282 A Bossert (Sui) 71 66 75 70,
283 S Little (Eng) 75 69 69 70, P Wilson (Eng) 71 69 70 73,
284 D Morland Iv (Can) 69 71 69 75,
285 M Long (Nzl) 73 69 70 73,
286 G Ryall (Eng) 69 71 71 75, J Cheetham (Eng) 72 75 69 70, S Bebb (Wal) 72 67 71 76,
287 G Joyner (Aus) 71 75 71 70,
288 B McGovern (Irl) 75 71 71 71,
289 J Inman (USA) 68 74 74 73, S Brown (Eng) 69 69 74 77, M Reynard (Eng) 73 73 68 75,
290 R Tinworth (Eng) 72 72 74 72, J Murphy (Eng) 72 69 74 75, V Casado (Esp) 74 73 70 73,
292 R Benitez (Esp) 70 75 72 75, T Wang (Tpe) 72 74 70 76, M Wharton (Eng) 73 68 75 76, G Manson (Aut) 74 71 72 75,
293 S Mondshine (USA) 72 70 74 77,
294 D Mooney (Irl) 72 74 70 78, C Hunsucker (USA) 75 72 70 77, N Cheetham (Eng) 69 72 76 77,
219 J Arruti (Esp) 72 72 75 0, C Monasterio (Arg) 72 73 74 0, F Larsson (Swe) 74 71 74 0, K Tarling (Can) 72 70 77 0, J Sallat (Fra) 65 76 78 0,
220 B Conser (USA) 74 70 76 0, C Gomez (Esp) 74 70 76 0, L Batchelor (Eng) 70 75 75 0, D Wilson (Aus) 79 68 73 0, S Cipa (Eng) 74 72 74 0, E McIntosh (am) (Sco) 76 76 68 0,
221 M Davis (Eng) 76 72 73 0, M Booth (Eng) 74 75 72 0, E Richardson (am) (Eng) 76 73 72 0,
222 D Prosser (Eng) 75 74 73 0, C Baron (Eng) 77 75 70 0,
223 G Ghei (Ind) 76 75 72 0, C Devers (USA) 73 77 73 0, J Laforce (Can) 72 76 75 0, J Hall (Eng) 73 73 77 0, D Charlton (Eng) 75 72 76 0, S Bennett (Eng) 72 74 77 0, J Quiros (Esp) 73 75 75 0, N Mitchell (Eng) 79 74 70 0,
224 M Forrest (Can) 75 74 75 0, K Hsu (Tpe) 75 74 75 0,
225 F Roca (Esp) 81 74 70 0, A George (Eng) 73 79 73 0, C Corrigan (Eng) 78 75 72 0, F Lamare (Fra) 74 76 75 0,
226 R Wechgelaer (Ned) 77 75 74 0, E Kocs (USA) 78 77 71 0, M Mackenzie (Eng) 78 74 74 0, M Spooner (Eng) 74 77 75 0,
227 G Marks (Eng) 74 77 76 0, K Seike (Jpn) 77 72 78 0, D Westermark (Swe) 76 77 74 0,
228 J Sagardoy (Esp) 79 74 75 0, S Wilkinson (Wal) 74 74 80 0,
229 A Sherborne (Eng) 76 76 77 0, A Carro (Esp) 75 81 73 0,
231 A Collison (Eng) 74 78 79 0, M McNeilly (Can) 75 78 78 0,
234 J Gamez (Esp) 84 76 74 0, R Ellis (Eng) 77 78 79 0,
** M Bright (RSA) 77 75 WD 0, J Kemp (Eng) 75 77 WD 0, C Suneson (Esp) 76 76 WD 0,
** D Wettlaufer (Can) 75 WD 0 0,