Lawrie and Maybin lose their Tour cards

Two Irish golfers have lost their Tour cards for next season. Peter Lawrie and Gareth Maybin fell short in Australia and will return to Qualifying School, while Kevin Phelanis still in the hunt but way off the pace to hold on to his card.

A round littered with bogeys cost Lawrie his Tour card. Having shot a 75 in the first round of the ISPS Handa Perth International, he followed it up with a 77 for a combined 152, almost 10 shots short of the cut line.

Lawrie had four bogeys on the front nine and four more on the back nine and while he knocked in a birdie on the third, 15th and 16th holes, the Irishman had to win the tournament to hold on to his card.

The leader after two rounds is Scotland's Peter Whitford on 132.

Ulster’s Gareth Maybin, who needed to finish in the top seven to retain his card, fell one short of the cut line on 144. Like Lawrie, Maybin also needed something special after an opening round of 71.

Although he fired in three birdies in his second round, he also dropped shots on four, nine, 13 and 17 on his way to a 73 and total 144, a shot below the cutline of 143.

Kevin Phelan, the third Irish player who was battling to hold on to his playing card, sits T35 after a second round 69, three shots better than his opening 72. Phelan, inside the cut, has a lot of work to do over the weekend as he needs a top four finish to hold on to his playing rights.

Damien McGrane, currently tied for 18th place is the best of the Irish.

Those outside the top 111 in the rankings will drop down to the European Tour Qualifying School.