DORSET’S Kevin Spurgeon enjoyed his time back in the limelight at The De Vere PGA Seniors Masters Championship at Slaley Hall yesterday.

The 2010 Mauritius Open champion played in the penultimate group and was in contention for a top-three place until a final-round 77 saw him slip down the leader board.

“There were a lot of big players out there, so it was good to be in the mix again,” said Spurgeon, who finished joint 12th on five over par.

“My all-round game was great, but I couldn’t buy a birdie on the final day, so it was difficult to build up any momentum.”

The 56-year-old Ferndown star was in good company, however, with former Senior Tour number one Carl Mason and former Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam carding the same four-round total.

But there was only ever going to be one winner after Andrew Oldcorn took a grip on the event with rounds of 66 and 68 on the second and third days.

Spurgeon had climbed to joint third on Saturday with opening rounds of 73, 69 and 74.

But on a blustery final day, he was blown off course with a double bogey at the seventh and further dropped shots at the eighth, ninth and 15th holes.

“The six on the seventh hole could have been a lot worse,” explained Spurgeon. “I hit three balls off the tee with my second finding the trees, but I was fortunate enough to find my first.”

Spurgeon travels to Germany tomorrow for the lucrative Berenberg Bank Masters that starts on Friday.

Bernhard Langer is the ambassador for the tournament, which has a prize fund of 400,000 euros.