LOCAL golfers Oliver Fisher and Simon Khan have given themselves every chance of retaining their European Tour cards after another week of impressive performances at the Portugal Masters.

It was Chigwell-based player Fisher that shone brightest again, as he occupied the top ten for much of the week before eventually settling for an excellent 12th place.

The result earned him a much-needed bumper pay packet that has moved him closer to the projected target of 250,000 euros for the season.

Two five-under par scores of 67 on the first two days of competition saw Fisher shoot up the leaderboard.

There were fewer fireworks on the final two days of the tournament, but the 21-year-old managed to keep his focus and secure a vital top 12 finish.

The result means Fisher sits ten places below the top 115 in the Race to Dubai standings, and one more finish like last week will almost certainly guarantee his passage onto the circuit next season.

Epping resident Khan is in a similar position to his local rival, after he finished tied for 30th in Portugal with a 12-under par total for the four days.

A first round 66 had even put him in the top five.

The 37-year-old player is just one place behind Fisher in 126th in the European standings.

The pair travel to Club de Campo del Mediterraneo in Spain for the Castello Masters this week, looking for a final surge to cling on to their places on the top tier of professional golf for next season.