Ones to watch: at PGA Catalunya Resort

<em>PGA Catalunya Resort will once again play host to the 108 hole marathon that is the Qualifying School Final Stage as promising hopefuls and experienced veterans alike look to play their way on to The European Tour in 2014. With that in mind, europeantour.com picked out a handful of entrants to keep an eye out for this week as play gets underway from first thing on Sunday morning.</em>

If the US PGA Championship is widely regarded as Glory’s Last Shot, then this Final Stage for some must each year be more akin to a golfer’s Last Stand, a Final Tilt at European Tour success for those looking to rekindle their best form.

Yet for those on the way up it is the opposite, a chance at glory, a shot at the bright lights and enormous prize funds of European golf’s top table as the great and good look to prove their mettle and play their way into the big league.

This week is therefore a thorough examination, a pressure cooker that sorts the men from the boys, the experienced from the not so. However, below are the hopefuls we believe have as good a chance as any in the field of claiming The European Tour card that will be awarded to the top 25 and ties come the end of six rounds.

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<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;">Lucas Bjerregaard<br>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><em>Age: 22<br>
Place of birth: Frederikshavn, Denmark<br>
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Turned pro: 2011 (plus 5)</em></span><br>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Having topped the Nordic Golf League Order of Merit in 2012, Lucas Bjerregaard earned his place on the Challenge Tour this past season, where he subsequently went on to make 14 cuts from 18 appearances en route to a 34th place finish in the Rankings. The Dane is highly thought of by his peers, and recorded his best finish of the season just a fortnight ago when he finished runner up at the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic. This propelled Bjerregaard into the top 45 on the season long list that earned their way into the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club, and he took full advantage of that opportunity. After a slow start and rounds of 73-77 over the first 36 holes, the Dane hit top gear over the weekend, shooting 12 under par across the final two days to pull into a tie for 18th spot. With that kind of form coming just a week ago,</span><br>
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<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" colspan="6"><span style="font-weight: normal;">it would therefore be no surprise if Bjerregaard was to do something similar this week, which rightly makes him one to watch this week.</span><br>
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<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;"><strong>Rhys Davies<br>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><em>Age: 28<br>
Place of birth: Edinburgh, Scotland<br>
Residence: Bridgend, Wales<br>
Turned pro: 2007<br>
Walker Cup appearances: 2005, 2007<br>
European Tour wins: Trophée Hassan II (2010)<br>
Challenge Tour wins: Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana, SWALEC Wales Challenge (2009)</em><br>
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After a glittering amateur career, twice representing Great Britain & Ireland in the Walker Cup, Rhys Davies took to professional golf very quickly. His breakout season came in 2009 where he won twice on the Challenge Tour, as well as a trio of further top three finishes that year on his way to fourth on the Rankings and a European Tour card for the following year. The step up in class did not seem to daunt the Welshman though, and his debut season was one to remember, picking up a maiden title in Morocco at the Trophée Hassan II, as well as three further runners-up finishes. That all added up to an 18th place finish on The Race to Dubai that year, and</span><br>
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<td style="text-align: left; vertical-align: top;" colspan="6">culminated in him driving a buggy for Colin Montgomerie on home soil at The Ryder Cup in 2010. Since then he has not quite reached those heights, and the Welshman has plied his trade the last couple of years on the Challenge Tour. He finished 23rd on the list this year, showing glimpses of some better form, and after a strong showing at the final event just a week ago in Dubai, he is another worth watching.<br>
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<strong>Thomas Pieters</strong>
<p><em>Age: 21<br>
Place of birth: Geel, Belgium<br>
Residence: Nijlen, Belgium<br>
Turned pro: 2013 (plus 5)</em></p>
<p>After the success of compatriot Nicolas Colsaerts, the next to take up the Belgian golfing mantle could very well be Thomas Pieters who turned professional earlier this year after a glittering amateur career both in American collegiate golf and around the world in some of the game’s biggest championships. In 2012 he became the first Belgian to win the NCAA Championship while representing the University of Illinois, and has since transferred that form to the paid ranks. He played three times on The European Tour this season, making two cuts, and a tie for 29^th at the Alstom Open de France his best finish. Pieters’ progress through the first two qualifying stages also proved his class, finishing second at Ribagolfe to begin, before a tie for fifth last week at Campo de Golf El Saler earned him a Final Qualifying Stage berth at PGA Catalunya Resort.</p>
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<strong>Brandon Stone</strong>
<p><em>Age: 20<br>
Turned pro: 2013</em></p>
<p>Widely recognised as one of golf’s potential next big things, Brandon Stone turned professional earlier this season after an impressive amateur career both in his native South Africa, and during one year at the University of Texas. His debut in the paid ranks came earlier this year after a sponsor’s invite to the BMW International Open, and his promise was evident, finishing the week at 13 under par and in an impressive tie for tenth. He also performed well on the Challenge Tour, with a tie for 15^th at the Finnish Challenge, and just a fortnight ago, a tie for fourth at the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic. Like Pieters, his progress through the first two Qualifying Stages has been serene, finishing in a share of sixth at Frilford Heath, before claiming second at Las Colinas Golf & Country Club last week.</p>
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<strong>Tjaart van der Walt</strong>
<p><em>Age: 39<br>
Place of birth: Pretoria, South Africa<br>
Residence: George, South Africa and Houston, Texas, USA<br>
Turned pro: 1996</em></p>
<p>One of the more experienced men in the field this week, Tjaart van der Walt has played around the world, having held both European and PGA Tour cards during his years as a professional. The South African has made it through the Qualifying School Final Stage on two separate occasions, in 2000 and 2011, and comes to PGA Catalunya Resort this week fresh off a maiden professional title back on home soil just a week ago. Not only did Van Der Walt win, he did so emphatically, streaking six strokes clear at the Cape Town Open to take the title. With that coming just seven days before the first round this week, the 39 year old will clearly be in buoyant mood, and if he can translate that form to Spain’s north eastern corner, then he could be claiming his card from this event for a third time come the end of six rounds.</p>
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