Richard Sterne pulled off his best result on the DP World Tour this year when he closed the Nexo Championship at Trump International Golf Links in Balmedie, Scotland with a level-par 72 to take a share of 10th place.

It did his chances of regaining his full DP World Tour playing privileges some good too, as he was projected to climb into 135th place on the Race to Dubai rankings. He will need some more good results, like his share of fifth in last December’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open if he is to climb into the top 110 on that list.

Sterne started the week with a bogey-free course record of five-under 67, but that mark was eclipsed in the second round by the eventual winner, Grant Forrest of Scotland.

Forrest also closed with a level-par 72 to stay at eight-under-par for the tournament, four strokes clear of Joe Dean of England. Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, Dane Jakob Skov Olesen and England’s John Parry shared third on three-under.

Sterne hung in through tough conditions as he carded a one-over 73 in the second round and four-over 76 in the third. His final round two birdies and four bogeys until he made two birdies in a row on the 15th and 15th to be the top South African in the field.

Justin Harding had a closing one-under 71 to finish one stroke behind Sterne on one-over-par in a share of 13th. Amongst those sharing 13th was Casey Jarvis, who had a fine four-under 68 in the final round. Only one player went lower than Jarvis in the final round, as Marc Warren of Scotland signed for a 67.

Ryan van Velzen had a two-over 74 in the fourth round to finish on two-over-par in a share of 19th. Louis Albertse was on five-over after his 74, and Robin Wliiams had a level-par 72 to finish in a share of 48th on seven-over.