Golfer David Drysdale wins a place in $7m Turkish Airlines Open

Turkey trip is big bonus for Borders star
David DrysdaleDavid Drysdale
David Drysdale

David Drysdale’s 2019 season has been extended – a week after the Cockburnspath-based player thought he was done for the current campaign.

The 44-year-old was all set to take a break after the final regular event of the season in Portugal last week, but is now in the field for next week’s Turkish Airlines Open.

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It’s a welcome opportunity for Drysdale, who started the current campaign like a train by finishing second and fifth in his first four starts before going off the boil in the second half of the year, as the Rolex Series event, The Montgomerie Maxx Royal, in Belek carries a $7 million prize fund.

A strong performance could also get him into the following week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and, after that, the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Drysdale, who is closing in on his 500th European Tour appearance, joins Bob MacIntyre, Richie Ramsay and Scott Jamieson in the field for the Turkish Airlines Open, with Stephen Gallacher sitting as third reserve.

Still in the paid ranks, Daniel Young is one low round away from securing a Challenge Tour card for next season after bouncing back from a nightmare start in the PGA EuroPro Tour Championship in Spain.

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Young heads into the final round at Desert Springs in Almeria just three shots off the lead despite opening the 54-hole season finale on the third-tier circuit with a triple-bogey 8.

The Kingsbarns Pro Academy player repaired that damage by bouncing back with three straight birdies as he opened with a 70 before adding a 68 to sit on six-under-par.

Young, winner of the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters in Aviemore in July, sits eighth on the money-list and needs to climb into the top five to secure a step up to the Challenge Tour.

“My game is feeling good,” he said. “I have played really nicely the last two days after a bizarre start yesterday.”

Chasing Englishman James Allan, Conor O’Neil is also on six-under, but Capital duo James Ross and Neil Fenwick are out of contention on two-over and six-over respectively.