IN-FORM Lee James believes he may be on the verge of something good' after another successful day in the Johnnie Walker Champion-ship at Gleneagles yesterday.

The Parkstone-based professional is currently languishing in 184th place on the order of merit and needs to earn some serious money to climb into the top 115 for a place on next year's tour.

And James will be hoping for a bumper pay day in Scotland tomorrow after following up his impressive opening 72 with a solid level-par 73.

"I'm fully aware of the position I'm in and what I need to do to keep my card," said James, who was in a share of 21st place going into today's penultimate round.

"I've been playing my best golf of the year from tee to green over the past four weeks and if I can sink a few more putts something good may happen.

"I know I'm capable, it's just that time is running out," added James, who is sponsored by Ringwood-based company Merlo UK Limited.

"I'm hoping to play in a few more tournaments before the end of the season, but I will have to wait and see just how many."

James is currently only guaranteed a place in one of the final seven events - next week's European Masters in Switzerland.

He will then be at the mercy of whether or not higher ranked players take up their places before the season draws to an end with the Volvo Masters in Spain on October 30.

Although James's return to form may have come a little too late, he has a good chance to make a significant climb up the money list this weekend.

Over the first two days at Gleneagles, James has only missed a total of five greens in regulation and is happy with his putting despite the poor' condition of the greens.

"They are fairly fast, tricky to read and very very bumpy," explained James.

"But taking all that into consideration, I've done well on them despite missing birdie putts on the last three holes.

"Not even a one-and-half-footer is a give me' on this course."

James's first birdie yesterday came at the 516-yard second hole when he tapped in after just failing to convert an eagle putt.

Despite dropping three shots over the next five holes, James hit back with back-to-back birdies from the eighth hole, followed by another at the 350-yard 11th.

James's only dropped shot on the inward nine came at the par four 13th.

The former British amateur champion is six shots adrift of the halfway leader Gregory Havret who added a 71 to his first round 68 for a seven-under-par total.

  • Ferndown touring professional Kevin Spurgeon carded a level-par 72 on the first day of the Senior Masters on the Duke's Course at Woburn yesterday.

Spurgeon, who is also sponsored by Merlo UK, chalked up birdies at the fifth, eighth, and 18th holes for a share of 18th place - six shots behind leader Angel Franco.