David Drysdale enters the final round of his ‘Last Chance Saloon’ hopeful of it being victory drinks all round at the close of the Portugal Masters.
Drysdale kept alive hopes of retaining his DP World Tour card posting a super bogey-free third round 65 to move into a share of eighth place at 14-under and while trailing eight shots from the lead.
England’s Jordan Smith remains the man to catch despite taking a bogey at the last in a blistering round of 62 to head the field by two shots at 22-under-par.
Drysdale arrived on the Algarve lying in a lowly 174th on the Race to Dubai money list and needing to win or finish second on his own to move into the top-117, in what is his last guaranteed start of the year, to retain full 2023 DP World Tour membership.
Scot David Drysdale needing to win or finish second on his own to retain his Tour card for the 2023 season
And while the golfer affectionately known as ‘Double D’ has been playing out of his socks this week posting 17 birdies and just three dropped shots.
Of note, Drysdale had missed the cut in his last four Portugal Masters appearances while his lowest 72-hole Vilamoura tally is 11-under, and that was six years ago.
Also, his prior best finish was T16th a year earlier in 2015 though with a new set of clubs in the bag it’s everyone’s wish in a 574th tour event, he can toast a maiden Tour triumph.
Drysdale said: “It feels good and it’s that kind of golf course where you know you are going to have to shoot low.
“I’m in a position, at the moment, where I am going to Stage Two of the Q-School next week in Spain, and after .. I don’t know how many seasons out here .. so my goal now is just trying to avoid that trip.
“I’ve been struggling with a neck and shoulder injury the last five-and-a-half months and really it’s not been bad enough not to play but it’s not been good enough to compete.
“I’ve had to withdraw from a couple of events but then the game’s been good as I am driving the ball as straight as ever. I also got a new set of Callaway clubs on Tuesday and they went straight in the bag, as my iron-play has been pretty bad so they’re been working.
“But this is a Last Chance Saloon for me and I do need to finish top-two to keep my card and after 10 weeks in a row competing and if I can avoid next week, I will be happy with that”.
Next best of the remaining four Scots is the pair of David Law (68) and Robert MacIntyre (66) and sharing 23rd place at 10-under.
