Eales joins the journeymen playing for their lives

Italian Open signals the climax of the end-of-season scramble for professionals desperate to retain their Tour cards

The loud, uncontrolled and not quite professional roar that was audible to listeners of BBC Radio Five Live above the multitudinous din when Paul McGinley holed the winning putt for Europe at the Ryder Cup belonged to Paul Eales. "I felt like doing that on a number of occasions but managed to hold it back until that moment," Eales said. "I found it difficult to be objective about what I was seeing. I wanted to say 'us' and 'them' all the time."

Eales was a member of the radio commentary team at The Belfry and his dilemma illustrates how much Sam Torrance's team were playing on behalf of all the members of the European Tour. No sooner had the matches finished, however, and Eales had to return to the day job, which over the last month of the season amounted to a desperate battle to retain his playing rights as a member of the Tour.

At the end of each season only the leading 115 players on the order of merit are awarded their Tour cards for the following year. Although around 150 players tee-up most weeks on tour, the right to enter a tournament is determined by the list of exemption categories. Finish in the top 115 and you can play most events each week. Finish 116th or lower and you may only get a handful of starts as players coming up from the Challenge Tour and from the Qualifying School have priority.

With only the élite players eligible for the Volvo Masters at Valderrama, this week's Italian Open in Rome is the last chance for the rank and file to improve their order of merit positions. After finishing 61st in the Madrid Open yesterday, Eales goes into the tournament in 118th on the order of merit.

"I am right in the thick of it," the Essex-born Eales said. "But I am very philosophical about it. It's a situation I've put myself in and you can't blame anyone else. It's been a lack of success when I've played well, throughout the year. When I've made cuts I've not cashed in but finished 60th or 70th.

"As the season progresses frustration creeps in, even with the experience I've got over the last ten years. Your patience wears a bit thin. You can start feeling a little sorry for yourself. I'm practising hard, working hard, playing OK, but I can't get a result. Suddenly you are down to the last few events and you need a miracle to happen."

Eales is 39 and has been a professional golfer since 1985. As assistant pro at Royal Lytham and St Anne's, it took him until 1993 to reach the main European Tour. He won the following season at the Extremadura Open in rural Spain. He finished 35th in the order of merit that year, which remains his best result.

But two years ago he only just kept his card, having arrived at the Italian Open needing a good result. On that previous occasion Eales's room-mate, Paul Affleck, decided enough was enough but Eales has not yet reached that point. "This is not where I see myself," he said.

"Look down the order of merit and look at the names who might not be around next year: Des Smyth, Paul Broadhurst, Mark Mouland, Mark James, Peter Senior, Tony Johnstone, who have all competed at the highest level. There is always a constant changeover of names but you don't want to be part of the cull. It is not going to be the end of the road for me. I have always looked on myself as a late developer and I still think my best golf is ahead of me."

Contingencies have to be thought about, however. "You can't help thinking 'what if'. Do you want to go back to the school or is this the end of the world? For me, playing the game as well as I am at the moment, why throw it away? Fair enough I'm not shooting the scores to back up the statement but I am probably playing the best golf of my life.

"What I've got to do is deal with the frustrations and the demons that go round in your head. I have had a big vote of confidence from my sponsors, Northern Rock, who have been with me for six years and have said not to worry about next year. So if I have to go back to the Tour School that's another chance and if that doesn't work, I'll play the Challenge Tour."

Prior to the Dunhill Links Championship, Eales was 152nd on the order of merit. Relaxed in the pro-am setting where he learned the game as an assistant, he was well placed going into the final round knowing a big payday could secure his card. But the tension crept back, his only birdie came at the 18th and he finished tied for 26th.

It was a start, however, and he was fifth the following week at the Lancôme Trophy, leading briefly early on the final day. Had his putt at the last, which just missed, gone in that could have been job done again. Nevertheless, he passed £100,000 in earnings for the season, which even with expenses of around £40,000 for the year, means he will turn a decent profit. He also passed £1m in career prize money during the season.

"The money is nice, but that is not why we play," he said. "Look at Phillip Price, who is now a world name. He is a great role model. Hopefully we are all winners but it shows what can be done with a lot of hard work and graft." Being asked to work at the Ryder Cup might have been the development that turned Eales's season around. "I'm sure it had an effect. By watching 24 of the best players in the world going head-to-head and the pressure they were under you are bound to pick up something. It was a great sporting occasion and it whets your appetite.

"For most of the summer I was not looking forward to going to tournaments because I haven't been competing. I've been going home on a Friday night and you think I've not really enjoyed that. There has to be more to life than grinding it out and getting no rewards. That's a dangerous thing and you have to break that pattern which has happened for me over the last month."