Simon Khan led a group of 31 players to graduate from the European Tour qualifying school on a typically nerve-riddled day in Catalunya.
Last-gasp birdie takes Drummond through
Simon Khan led a group of 31 players to graduate from the European Tour qualifying school on a typically nerve-riddled day in Catalunya.
A two-over-par 74 was enough to give Khan the title by a single shot from Sam Hutsby, who signed for a 69 to pick up his first tour card.
Khan was six clear at the start of the sixth and final round but even he revealed the anxieties of q-school with a triple bogey at the ninth that threatened to undo all his good work.
It is the third time the 37-year-old has come through q-school and the Englishman will look to build on his success next year.
"At the start of the week the aim was to finish in the top five, so I've exceeded my expectations, which feels good," he said.
"But I know the hard work starts here. I've got to forget about this now, but obviously I'll take a lot of confidence from it. Hopefully there's more to come."
Scotland's Stephen Gallacher finished third while compatriots Steven O'Hara, Andrew Coltart and Scott Drummond also made it through.
Veteran Coltart climbed from 34th into a tie for 16th place while Drummond chipped in for a birdie on the last that secured his place on the tour in 2010.
The former PGA Championship winner was not the only player to enjoy a late change of fortunes, with Frenchman Julien Guerrier holing a 10-foot putt on the final hole to scrape through.
However, there are always a handful of hard luck stories and this year was no exception with Welshman Liam Bond missing by one after bogeying the final two holes, while Frenchman Christophe Brazillier also missed out by one with a bogey at the 18th.
England's Sam Walker missed out by one shot while Benn Barham, who almost secured a two-year exemption when he was runner-up in the Austrian Open in September, could not replicate that form and finished well down the field.
