NICK DOUGHERTY'S European Tour qualifying school 'ordeal' continues next week when he enters Stage Two of the competition.

The 19-year-old from Shaw Hill is one of the favourites to get through to the final stage after winning the first stage of the competition at Carden Park.

The Walker Cup winner, who turned pro little over two months ago, was hoping to win a tour card through the money list of this year's European Tour.

But a 49th-place finish at last week's Madrid Open consigned him to qualifying school.

"It would have been nice to get the card straight away," he said.

"But there are not many golfers who do that in their first season as a pro.

"I made five cuts out of the seven European Tour events I played in as a professional this season which isn't bad but I made some sloppy mistakes which I was disappointed with."

Dougherty has been picking up tips from fellow tour players about the rigours of qualifying school.

"Everyone says it is a real ordeal," said Dougherty, who will play Stage Two at Pals golf course in Northern Spain.

"But I am looking forward to it. It is not something you should be looking forward to because it is a slog but I am playing okay and it is something you just have to get out of the way.

"It won't be easy but if I play my normal game it shouldn't be a problem. It's not like I am going to have to play the golf of my life."

Dougherty will fly out tomorrow and spend the weekend practising and relaxing.

"I have had loads of advice from other players but Gary Evans in particular has said to just go out and play a solid game. Everyone makes a big deal out of Qualifying School but if you can compete on the Tour you can get through Qualifying School."

One player who has been through the 'ordeal' is Clitheroe-attached pro Paul Dwyer.

Dwyer, who was exempt from the first stage of Qualifying because of his performance on the Challenge Tour, goes to Stage Two at Peralada hoping the demons of last year have been exorcised.

"I did really well in the first two rounds last year," said the 28-year-old. "But I had a bad day on the third round and dropped out of it. I did okay in the fourth round but missed out on the final stage by three or four shots."

But Dwyer, who failed to win a card via this year's Challenge Tour, says he is in a better frame of mind this year.

"My golf has come on leaps and bounds since last year," said Dwyer.

"I'm feeling quite good. I haven't been playing an awful lot of golf since my Challenge Tour season finished and I feel good for it.

"I have played in a Tamsel Tour event in Wales, where I played really well on the first day but ended up finishing joint eighth. And I will play in another Tamsel Tour event tomorrow at Highlea Park."

Dwyer travels to Spain on Saturday hoping this is going to be his year. He has never been past Stage Two of Qualifying.

"There shouldn't be a problem but you never know with golf," he said.