BMW PGA: David Drysdale determined to 'kick on' in bid to keep card

David Drysdale needs to “kick on” to keep giving himself chances to land that elusive European Tour win and a big week at Wentworth would just about secure his card for another season.

David Drysdale plays his second shot on the ninth hole during the opening round of BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

The 46-year-old, who has been sitting at the European game’s top table for 17 straight seasons, is currently 131st in the Race to Dubai and needs to be in the leading 125 at the end of the regular campaign.

Drysdale is making his 536th appearance on the circuit in this week’s BMW PGA Championship and he’s not ready to give up the fight to finally make the big breakthrough.

“I should never be in this position, but sometimes you find yourself in there,” said the Cockburnspath man. “I’m still grinding away.”

Drysdale was speaking after signing for a two-under-par 70 in the Rolex Series event at the Surrey venue, having carded four birdies and two bogeys.

“One good week here or the Dunhill, absolutely,” he said of what it is going to take to know that his playing rights have been secured for another campaign.

He made the cut in all four events on a UK Swing in the summer but didn’t finish better than 32nd before making early exits in both Switzerland and Italy over the past fortnight.

“I haven’t even been thinking about that, not getting myself in any trouble, just a couple of more putts and some momentum,” he said of currently being the wrong side of the cut-off line in the card battle.

“Two good rounds out of four, that’s how it’s been, no real consistency. I’ve been practising great. Just need to kick on this last six or eight events we’ve got left.

“Been driving it straight, not putting myself in any bother just haven’t been scoring. I feel like through the whole bag it’s in decent shape.

“Just been a weird 18 months. It’s great to come back here and see fans, a lot of fans out there. I think a lot of events I felt flat for some reason.

“Easy to make a bogey and feel like it’s a Tuesday rather than a tournament day. It shouldn’t be like that, but it’s kind of how it’s felt this last year, 15 months.”

On a day when Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat shot an eight-under 64 to lead by one from Adam Scott, Drysdale was delighted with his opening effort at one of the tour’s iconic venues.

“Just a proper golf course,” he said. “You don’t get away with sclaffing it around, the way it’s set up this week. You get rewarded for driving in the fairway and decent iron shots.”

Drysdale is making his 13th appearance in the tour’s flagship event, having tied for tenth in 2012, when it was held in May as opposed to its new September slot.

“I think so, yeah,” he replied to being asked if he thought the change had been a good thing. “I know they spent an awful lot of money and changed the greens.

“But I just thought it was the wrong time of year for it rather than go to that expense. It always looked amazing for the Matchplay in late September, early October or whenever that was.”

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