Having already secured his European Tour card for next season ensures Drysdale will not have to travel to Spain and next month’s Qualifying School.
Not only is the Borders player exempt for the 2010 Race to Dubai Tour, he is currently the highest world-ranked Scot, in 142nd position, while he also is the highest Race to Dubai earner, in 42nd place, on the money list. He is also top Scot on the European Ryder Cup points table, in 11th position.
“I noticed in the papers that I am now the highest world-ranked Scot, and that’s not too bad,” he said. “It’s been a good season and those positions, like my world-ranking and Race to Dubai position, are a reward for consistency. So, it’s been a most satisfying year from start to finish – I’ve only missed five cuts from my 24 tournaments “
In fact, Drysdale has competed in 25 events if you count his and Alastair Forsyth’s effort in Estonia in qualifying Scotland for the World Cup. This week’s Portugal Masters is Drysdale’s ninth week of competition in succession but he is already looking ahead to when he will have the third week in November off for a first time in five years.
Since 1997, and with the exception of 2002 and 2004, Drysdale has spent each November at the Tour’s Q-School though not this year. “I will be on lying on a beach in Dubai that week and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Justin Rose not qualifying for the first Dubai World Championship would have been unimaginable when the European Tour’s richest event was launched two years ago.
Rose had just won the Order of Merit and was about to climb to sixth in the world and take over from Padraig Harrington as Europe’s highest-ranked player.
However, the Englishman plays in the Portugal Masters this week as the world No.62, only the 21st European on the list and down in 58th in the “Race to Dubai” standings with only the top 60 qualifying for the season-ending shoot-out.
His golf has not been that bad and a runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Desert Classic in February had him hoping he was going to figure prominently in the bigger events but it has not happened. His only top-10 finish in 21 tournaments since was a fifth place at the Wyndham Championship in August.
In an effort to get things going again, Rose has made change. “I have been doing some work with Sean Foley, my new coach, which has been going really well,” he claimed.
“I feel that with some mental freshness and some attention on my short game some great results will be coming soon.
“I really feel positive about the direction I am going in, not only with my technique, but also with my fitness with my new trainer Justin Buckthorp.
“Although there are still a few events left this year, my mind is already set on a great 2010, where there are some great venues for the major championships – there’s a lot to be motivated for.”
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