Paul Lawrie will remain calm and focused as he attempts to qualify for the Race to Dubai finale next month.
Lying 61st in the money list the Aberdonian reckons he needs only a couple of respectable finishes in the BMW Masters in Shanghai tomorrow and the Turkish Open in two weeks to make sure he finishes the year inside the top 60.
But going into the third round of the BMW at Lake Malaren today lying 11 shots off the halfway pace set by little-known American Luke Guthrie, the pressure is on.
Lying in joint second place on the leaderboard after an astonishing eagle at the par four 16th is Stirling’s Craig Lee who started the week in China in 62nd place on the money list.
Lawrie recorded a second round 73 which was a remarkable effort as it was produced in winds gusting at more than 25 miles an hour and his card contained two double bogeys.
“Being 61 on the list is not really playing on my mind,” said the Press and Journal columnist.
“I just need a good week here or in Turkey because I am not qualified for the HSBC next week.
“I need two half-decent weeks and I will be flying into the top 60, but if I am 61st at the end of it all and do not play in Dubai I won’t have deserved to be there.”
Lawrie did, however, admit he has not been at his best over the first two days in Shanghai and added: “I have been struggling a bit from tee to green. But it was a fairly decent effort in this wind to get it around in three over during the first two days.
“And the two double bogeys I had today included a four putt.
“At the 13th I was just short of the green in two and hit a chip to 15 feet and took four putts to get down.
“I was also in water off the tee at the ninth.”
Lee was bubbling with excitement after his second straight 70 finished in dramatic style.
“I was starting to get frustrated because I had dropped a couple of shots,” he said.
“But then bang, I hit a four iron 188yds into the wind on the 16th that went in the hole. It certainly helped, especially coming on the back of a birdie at the previous hole.”
Also among the five other players sharing second place with Lee, four shots behind Guthrie, is Glasgow’s Scott Jamieson, who had got to five under on his own before finding sand at the 18th hole.
Currently 25th in the money list Jamieson is already assured of his place in Dubai. Despite winning the Nelson Mandela championship he is still only ranked 110th in the world but a victory in Shanghai and strong finishes in the tournaments that follow could push him close to the world’s top 50.
“That would make a huge difference to my career,” he said. “I have got the chance to take my game to the next level and although playing four weeks in a row is tough I am hoping to make the most of it.”
Stephen Gallacher moved up to joint 39th on four over following his second round 71 while Marc Warren slumped to six over following his second round 77 in the no-cut tournament.