Golf: Alker close to Tour spot

New Zealand golfer Steve Alker is one solid round away from earning a place on the European Tour next season.

Alker enters the last of six rounds of final qualifying for the 2007 tour in Spain today well positioned to attain the top-30 placing required to earn a tour card.

He completed the fifth round yesterday in a share of 22nd place after a five-under 67 catapulted him 33 places up the leaderboard to three-under 357.

Another New Zealander, Gareth Paddison, was well off the pace in a share of 60th on 364.