RICHARD McEvoy admits his European Tour playing privileges are hanging by a thread as he starts his last tournament of the season today.

The Thorpe Hall member tees off this morning at the South African Open, and says he feels he needs his first top five finish of the year to book his place on next year’s Tour.

He said: “The money is not very good in this tournament so I think I’m going to need a top five place to secure my playing privileges.

“A top eight or nine placing might do it, depending on what others do. Obviously I would rather not be in this position, but it does add to the excitement.

“But practice has gone well this week and I feel confident, but all I can do is my best.”

McEvoy said he was disappointed with two costly double bogeys in his last round at last weekend’s Alfred Dunhill Championship.

“It has been the story of my year,” he said.

“I’ve been playing three solid rounds and then a few loose shots late on cost me.

“And the really frustrating thing is that I feel I have actually played better and been more consistent this year than I was last year. But last year I managed better finished and picked up better money.

“But that is the game and if I can just get a bit of luck on the greens this weekend, then who knows?”

McEvoy, right, starts the weekend in 121st place in the Race to Dubai rankings, and that means he will qualify for about 20 tournaments on next season’s European Tour, even if he does not retain his full playing privileges with a top 115 finish.

He said: “It would be a bit of a set back not to retain my card, but I will still get to play on the tour and I will have the chance to improve my category even further at the Tour school in December.”

McEvoy tees off this morning in a group with Lindani Ndwandwe and JG Claassen at the Serengeti Golf Club, in Ekurhuleni.

The action will be screened live on Sky Sports.