Gavin Dear wins step up to Challenge Tour

PUGLIA OPEN: Gavin Dear clinched promotion to next year's European Challenge Tour after the Alps Tour's season-ending Puglia International Open in Italy at the weekend.

The Scone rookie, part of Scotland's 2008 Eisenhower Trophy-winning team, finished 14th on a four-under 210 but that was enough to cement his fourth place in the final order of merit with the top five making the step up.

Dear, a winner on the Alps circuit on Italian soil last month, signed off with a level-par 71 at the Tessali course and finished nine shots behind Spanish winner Miguel Sastre.

The Scot will now head for stage two of the European Tour's qualifying school next month to try and earn a place on the main circuit in 2011.