The Portugal Masters is the last regular European Tour event of the season and there is more at stake this week than just the trophy at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.
For those in the field whose 2019 Race to Dubai has not quite gone the way they would have liked, this is the last chance to secure their playing privileges for 2020.
The top 115 on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex will definitely retain their cards, while those who finish in 116th and 117th may also be breathing a sigh of relief come Sunday.
Here we take a look at the bubble boys - those players looking for a good week to stay on Tour.
Niklas Lemke - 111th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
Came through the Qualifying School at the tenth time of asking to earn a rookie season on the European Tour and will be hoping to not make a return. The Swede looked comfortable as he broke the 100-point barrier within three events but missed six of his next seven cuts. Top tens at the Betfred British Masters and Porsche European Open have kept him right in the hunt, and a stunning 67 in treacherous conditions at last week's Amundi Open de France showed he was a man for all occasions.
Oliver Fisher - 112th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
Knows a thing or two about the business end of the season having finished 90th or lower in seven of his 12 European Tour seasons but has only failed to retain his playing privileges once. Having fired the first ever 59 on the European Tour at this event just over a year ago, he also knows how to perform in Vilamoura, but the 2011 Czech Open champion has just one top ten this season.
Clément Sordet - 113th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
Graduated from the European Challenge Tour - where he has four wins - in 2017 but could not keep his card and had to come through the Qualifying School last season. A 30 foot putt on the 71st had him in a tie for the lead earlier this year at the Oman Open but he three putted the last to miss out by a shot in one of two top tens on the campaign so far.
Lee Slattery - 115th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
The Englishman is familiar with the heartbreak of being on the bubble, having missed out by less than 100 euros in 2007. Finished on the right side of the scrap the following season and in 2014 but it has not all been battles at the end of the season, with the Englishman also having two European Tour wins under his belt. Ended a run of six missed cuts with back to back top 30s in Rolex Series events over the summer to keep himself right in the hunt.
Jack Singh Brar - 117th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
From Walker Cup player to winner and graduate in his first season as a professional on the European Challenge Tour, Singh Brar's golfing career has been plain sailing up to this point. A tie for 12th is his best European Tour finish this season, however, and he enters the week as the man you must catch to have any chance of retaining your card.
Paul Dunne - 118th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
After sharing the lead after 54 holes as an amateur at the 2015 Open Championship, Irishman Dunne came through the Qualifying School and just held onto his card in his rookie season. Held off Rory McIlroy to win the 2017 British Masters and won GolfSixes alongside Gavin Moynihan last season as he made it all the way to the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai for the second year running. Has missed 11 of his last 13 cuts since claiming a second top five of the year at the Made in Denmark presented by FREJA, however, and finds himself on the outside looking in.
Jeunghun Wang - 119th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
After bursting onto the scene with two wins in as many weeks in 2016, he claimed a third European Tour title at at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters the following season. He made just nine cuts in his first 26 events but looks to be peaking at the right time, claiming a tie for fifth last month at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and carding his lowest round of the season en route to a Rolex Series top ten at the Italian Open.
Hugo Leon - 120th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
The Chilean is a European Tour rookie at 34 having come through the Qualifying School as the latest part of a career that has seen him play on the PGA Tour, the Web.com Tour, the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, the MacKenzie Tour, the China Tour and the Challenge Tour. Has four top tens from 20 events so far including at last week's Amundi Open de France.
Justin Walters - 121st on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex
A Challenge Tour graduate in 2012, Walters finished second at the 2013 Portugal Masters to leap up the Rankings and keep his card. Came through the Qualifying School in 2015 and 2017 and was on the bubble again last season as he finished 113th on the Race to Dubai. Sadly lost his father in the summer but has shown incredible battling qualities since and an opening 63 in Scotland and closing 65 in Italy have shown he has the form to finish the right side of the line.
*110th ranked Min Woo Lee and 114th ranked Abraham Ancer are affiliate members, while 116th ranked Andres Romero is not in the field this week.
