A RELIEVED Natalie Booth will be going all out to avoid another trip to the Qualifying School after a nail-biting conclusion to this year's season in Italy last week.

The 24-year-old Highcliffe Castle player retained her European Tour status after winning one of the last two cards up for grabs in a five-way play-off on Friday.

And Booth is determined to learn from her first full season on tour to make sure she doesn't have to go through the same nerve-wracking experience next year.

"It's a huge relief to keep my card," said Booth, who was tied 29th on level par at Le Fonti Golf Club near Bologna after four gruelling rounds.

At first, Booth didn't realise she was in the frame and was about to pack her bags before one last check on the internet.

"I left the course early thinking I didn't have a hope in hell and went back to the hotel," explained Booth, who had teed off at 9.38am and was in a share of 35th place when she completed her round.

"I was really annoyed because I had just dropped two shots at the last and thought I had blown my chances.

"When I left the course the qualifying mark was on two-under-par and I didn't really know how many cards were on offer. It is normally between 28 and 30 but no-one seemed sure."

Booth, however, thought she was too far adrift, so left with her boyfriend - former Euro-pean Tour player Martin LeMes-urier who had caddied for her.

"It wasn't until I checked on the internet that I found out that there were 30 cards and I had moved up to 31st place," said Booth, whose hotel was a 20-minute drive away.

"It was a big surprise and we made a quick return to the course and when we arrived I was joint 29th with the final group coming down the 17th.

"Fortunately I only had about a 40-minute wait before the play-off, so I didn't have too much time to get nervous. I just went to the driving range to hit a few balls."

In the play-off, two players went out at the first extra hole after carding bogey fours at the short 17th.

But Booth held her nerve for a par and went on to sink a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole to secure the first of the two cards up for grabs.

"I felt the 18th owed me," said Booth. "I was short on it all week and a double bogey earlier almost cost my place on tour.

"To come so close to losing my card has made me even more determined to plan next season properly. I got off to a good start this season by making three halfway cuts in my first five tournaments.

"But I played in too many events too early and burnt myself out," added Booth, who claimed her best finish - tied 11th in the Italian Open - in May.

"As a result I suffered with flu-like symptoms mid-season and didn't really pick up my form again until the end when it was too late.

"This time round I shall play two or three events in a row and take a week off. I think that is about my limit."

Booth, who lives in New Milton, has two more events to play next month - Indian Masters and Dubai Masters - before planning her 2008 schedule.

"I'm hoping to get away somewhere warm for a couple of months to practice which is important just to keep up with the girls who come from the southern European countries," said Booth.

The European Ladies Tour release next year's schedule some time in December.

There are normally two co-sanctioned events in Australia for the top 50 players, so Booth is likely to start her campaign in the Tenerife Open in April.

Booth, who finished 92nd on the 2007 merit list, needs to finish in the top 80 next year to keep her playing rights for a third successive season.