Real changing of the guard on cards?

The situation of Scotland’s Worst Ever European Tour season we highlighted in T2G a month back has fractionally improved as we enter the final counting event in Valderrama this week.

Stevie Gallacher has been the only one this year to decisively pull away from trouble in the last few weeks.

Scott Jamieson is 107th on the Race to Dubai – probably five or six places better than that once ineligible players are removed from the rankings, while the arch-survivor David Drysdale is 108th.

The top 110 retain their cards. As it stands, Richie Ramsay and Marc Warren, as well as rookies Connor Syme and Bradley Neil, are headed to Q School with one event left to save themselves from that ordeal.

On the Challenge Tour, meanwhile, it seems Grant Forrest, second in China at the weekend, has joined Liam Johnston and David Law in safely securing a top 15 place and a big tour card for 2019.

Three more Scots – four if Scott Henry can get a good showing this week – will play the last two events on the schedule and can bid to join the secure trio.

Calum Hill is the next best placed, having not been out of the top 30 in six events over the last two months.

Four from the Challenge Tour in one season? This could be a real changing of the guard for elite professional Scottish golf coming in 2019.

Bradley Neil, left, and Connor Syme could be Q School bound.