(Reuters) – Former champion Bradley Dredge goes into this week's Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal knowing a second win in the event would almost certainly earn a passport to Augusta National for the Masters Tournament.
The 34 year old Welshman lies 72nd on the Official World Golf Ranking and is the highest ranked player competing at the Santo da Serra course.
In 2003, Dredge shot a 60 on the way to victory at the mountainside venue. Another triumph would secure the 24 world ranking points he needs to move into the world's top 50.
He would then need to hang on to his top 50 place at the end of next week's MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano to clinch his Masters ticket.
“I've been practising really hard over the last two weeks so I'm hopeful of playing really well this week and next week in order to earn my start in the Masters," he said.
"Playing in the Masters is such an achievement,” added Dredge who finished in a tie for 44th place on his debut in Georgia last year. “Playing at Augusta is just an amazing experience and I hope to do it again this year."
Dredge narrowly missed out on a place in this week's corresponding event on The European Tour International Schedule across the Atlantic, the World Golf Championships - CA Championship.
“Missing out on Doral was a real shame," he said. "I'm feeling quite confident about my game. I have a very positive attitude at the moment."
Dredge's likely title rivals this week are his fellow Welshman Stephen Dodd, England’s John Bickerton, Paul Lawrie of Scotland and Chilean Felipe Aguilar, while the host nation’s hopes will doubtless rest on the shoulders of José-Filipe Lima.
Bickerton benefited from a late collapse by Ernie Els in December to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship while Aguilar won last month's Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open.
Last season Lawrie showed signs of regaining the form that won him the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie while Dodd and Dredge combined to capture the World Cup for Wales in Portugal – at Vilamoura – in 2005.
