Dixon turned pro in 2001 after finishing as the top placed amateur at The Open

Bristol golfer David Dixon is glad to be in with a chance of keeping his European Tour card after his best finish of 2010 in the Portugal Masters.

Sunday's tie for sixth, and a cheque for 90,000 Euros, now leaves the 33-year-old 114th in the tour rankings.

And, with little over a month to go to the season season-closing Dubai World Championship, Dixon is running out of chances to secure a Top 115 finish.

"I'm pleased I got myself back in the hunt," Dixon told BBC Radio Bristol.

"There's a few guys in the same boat so it's going to be nail-biting wait."

Dixon appears to have just one opportunity left to move up the table when he tees off in Valencia on Thursday at the Castello Masters.

"I can only do what I can do this week, try and get a few more Euros on the Order of Merit and wait and see," he said.

"Playing golf on the European Tour, it just doesn't get any better than that. David Dixon

"There's still a few guys to come out of the Order of Merit who haven't played enough events this year so I'll move up a little bit more."

Dixon turned professional after winning the silver medal for finishing top amateur at the 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

He has enjoyed sporadic success in the pro ranks, his finest hour coming when he banked 100,000 Euros - the biggest pay day of his career - at the Saint-Omer Open in June 2008.

But, after a tough couple of years since then, he admits that he has fallen back in love with golf.

"I came to realise this summer that it's absolutely the best job in the world," said Dixon. "Playing golf on the European Tour, it just doesn't get any better than that.

"I've really dedicated myself over the last few months and it would be really cool to hang on."

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