European Tour pressure mounts for Scots

IT’S squeaky bum time in the European Tour season and the Scots in a sweat over their cards have been put under more pressure by a reduction in the qualifiers by five to 110.
Spains Alvaro Quiros was shown how to make chocolate by tournament sponsors Lindt. Picture: Chris Harris/GettySpains Alvaro Quiros was shown how to make chocolate by tournament sponsors Lindt. Picture: Chris Harris/Getty
Spains Alvaro Quiros was shown how to make chocolate by tournament sponsors Lindt. Picture: Chris Harris/Getty

If that change had been brought in a year earlier, recent European Masters runner-up Craig Lee wouldn’t have held onto his card at the end of last season in 115th spot. While he’s already safe and sound this time, the same can’t be said of some of his compatriots.

Ahead of the Italian Open starting today in Turin, Scott Henry, who finished joint fourth in the recent Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, has slipped to 115th and is £15,000 behind Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, who is in the last qualifying spot.

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And, with only four regular ranking events remaining before the new Final Series, Chris Doak also has a fight on his hands to retain a seat at European golf’s top table, sitting £42,000 adrift of Quiros in 124th place.

Time is rapidly running out for two other Scots in this week’s field. Callum Macaulay is 193rd on the money list and Gary Orr 220th but for the remainder of golf’s Tartan Army it looks as though they can see out the season without any undue pressure.

Stephen Gallacher (15th), Marc Warren (23rd) and Scott Jamieson (25th) are all well on course to make the season-ending £5 million DP World Tour Championship in Dubai at the end of November.

And that event is also still in the sights of Paul Lawrie (55th), Lee (56th), Richie Ramsay (67th), David Drysdale (72nd) and Peter Whiteford (73rd).