Craig Lee all but retains Tour card

• Craig Lee finishes sixth to leap up Race to Dubai rankings
• Second best performance this year moves him from 120th to 104th
• “There’s still a lot of pressure on,” admitted the Scot

Craig Lee all but secured his return to the European Tour next season after producing his second best performance of the season at the Portugal Masters

Ranked 120th in the Race to Dubai heading into the tournament, the Scot produced birdies on his final two holes to move into a share of sixth with Thomas Pieters and Jorge Campillo and collect €60,000, which lifted him up to 104th.

The 38-year-old, whose best finish this season was tied third at the Tshwane Open back in March, will now head to the UDS Hong Kong Open next week aiming to finish the job off after another nervy finish to the season.

“It will make Hong Kong a little bit easier now” – Craig Lee

“I’m delighted obviously,” said Craig Lee, who finished 107th in the Race to Dubai last year. “I needed a big week somewhere along the line. Look at the Dunhill, huge prize money, a big week didn’t arrive but coming to this week, always nervous at this time of year, especially when you’re chasing.

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“From years gone by, I’ve generally been in a pretty good position, inside the top 110 or round about 110, but this year is different because I was 120th, which money-wise is actually quite a long way away.

“It will make Hong Kong a little bit easier now, not needing a top 15 or top ten is going to make life a little bit easier. There’s still a lot of pressure on but nice to be coming off a high going into next week, as opposed to finishing badly and trying to pick yourself up.”

Elsewhere, Stephen Gallacher turned in his first top ten since the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in late January – only his second since making his Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles last September – while David Drysdale finished T16 to secure his place well within the top 110 on the Race to Dubai at 95th.

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The Hong Kong Open will prove to be a nervy week for Scott Jamieson though, as his T53 finish at the Portugal Masters his him sitting 107th in the rankings ahead of Renato Paratore, Chris Paisley and Seve Benson.

Chris Doak, meanwhile, needs a massive week, with only a win or runner-up spot likely to be enough in Hong Kong to secure his playing rights next year. He’s currently on 111,044 Race to Dubai points with Benson in 110th on 247,489.

Craig Lee :: All but retains his card

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