FOR the third time in four years, Sam Little is leaving it late to retain his player s card on the European Tour. The former Herts champion finished joint 21st in the Madrid Open on Sunday to lift him into 116th place in the order of merit, leaving him

FOR the third time in four years, Sam Little is leaving it late to retain his player's card on the European Tour.

The former Herts champion finished joint 21st in the Madrid Open on Sunday to lift him into 116th place in the order of merit, leaving him on the borderline for staying on tour.

Last year he battled for second place in the final event of the season, the Mallorca Classic, to lift him 60 places in the order of merit to 76th, a career high. In 2006 he finished 122nd to lose his card, but made his comeback with 12th place in the final qualifying school, and In 2005 he claimed the last place at 116th. He gained his place on tour at the 2004 qualifying school. The order of merit will be finalised after tournaments in Portugal and Spain.

In Madrid rounds of 71 70 71 left him trailing one under par, then he came storming back with a five under par 66 to match the final round of the winner, Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, who finished 21 under par on 267.

Former Herts champion David Griffiths missed the halfway cut by two strokes and is likely to lose his player's card as he lies 189th in the merit list.

In the first stage of this season's tour qualifying school former Herts amateur Mark Laskey tied fifth place at Chart Hills after rounds of 67 70 68 69 for 14 under par 274. At The Oxfordshire James Ruebotham tied 23rd after rounds of 70 68 71 73 for six under par 282.