Craig Lee could finish dead last in this week’s Race to Dubai decider and the Scot would be happy.
Lee is making his debut in the season-ending event after breaking inside the top-60 following last week’s mid-field finish in the Turkish Airlines Open.
The Stirling golfer is already assured some Euro 25,000 if here were to finish 56th given four players – the South African pair of Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel plus Spain’s Sergio Garcia didn’t play the mandatory number of Final Series events.
Craig Lee’s accomplished all his goals in 2014. (Photo – Phil Inglis/www.golffile.ie)
As well, Sweden’s Alex Noren is out with a back injury.
Lee said: “It’s just brilliant being back here in Dubai and it is such a great reward for all my hard work this year.
“But then now that I am here there won’t be any targets now for me so I can just go out there and play relaxed golf, as opposed to the last handful of weeks where I have been fighting so hard to get myself here to Dubai.
“So I’ve achieved all my targets and all the goals have been reached.
“But it would be nice if I could end the year with a win, as that is always the goal teeing up every Thursday.”
Lee revealed he passed up the congratulatory drop of sherry on Sunday night’s special Turkish Airlines charter flight to Dubai that he had promised himself in qualifying for this week’s DP World Tour Championship.
He said: “I was just too tired after playing those four rounds in Turkey but there will be plenty of time for a celebratory drink.
“Also I came out here when we were in Dubai in January just for a practice round and maybe thinking it might be good just in case I did qualify for this week’s event.
“So that has turned into a good omen.”
However there will be little rest for the Scot as no sooner will the curtain be drawn on the 2013 Race to Dubai and the 2014 season gets underway next week with three straight events in South Africa.
He said: “I am playing the first two events in South Africa, next week’s South African Open and the following week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship.
“So the goal there will be to get some early pennies on the board before a four to five week break over Christmas and the New Year and then back out here for the Dubai Desert Classic.”
And Lee has welcomed the European Tour’s revelation that it is considering taking the 2015 and future Scottish Open championships to the East Lothian region for the first time in the event’s history.
He said: “The Scottish Open being played anywhere on a links golf course is fantastic but to take it to the East Lothian region, and possibly Gullane No. 1, will be an excellent move.
“The East Lothian region is certainly blessed with some great golf courses and it would not be much of a problem for anyone living in the Glasgow/Edinburgh region to get to that part of Scotland.
“I’ve played Gullane No. 1 many times and the course is great to play in winter as the greens are always good at that time of the year.”
Lee is among just four Scots in this week’s field including Marc Warren, Scott Jamieson and Stephen Gallacher.
