The Seaton Carew and Wynyard player narrowed the gap on qualification for the main European tour last weekend when he finished 13th at the Trophee du Golf Club de Geneve, in Switzerland.

That result left the 26-year-old 32nd in the Challenge Tour rankings, with a top 20 finish enough to earn Robinson a place among the golfing elite for next season.

With nine tournaments to go, £8,705 separates Robinson from 20th placed Gary Clark and he can narrow that gap even further at the Ypsilon Golf Challenge in the Czech Republic.

The tournament, which gets underway today, has a prize fund of £142,000 up for grabs and a repeat of Robinson's maiden Challenge Tour victory in Finland back in June would see him rocket back into the top 20.

Robinson's aim is to join fellow Hartlepool golfer Graeme Storm on the European Tour.

Storm is also in action today as he tees off this afternoon in Holland's KLM Open.

The 30-year-old collected another top 20 finish last weekend at the SAS Masters in Sweden.

It was a welcome return to the tour for Storm who had spent three weeks away from the fairways following his impressive display at the British Open.

All the focus in Sweden will be on the Ryder Cup places, with just two weeks to go until the European team is finalised.

Seven players – Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell – are all set fair for Valhalla next month, but the remaining five are up for grabs.

In the race for the last three automatic spots Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen are the men to catch.

Rose, who has switched back from America to Europe to try to make sure of his debut, is paired with Wilson in the first two rounds in Holland.

Last season's European Tour number one is £45,555 ahead of Wilson, who in turn is £2,395 ahead of Hansen. The closest gap, though, is between Hansen and 11th-placed Martin Kaymer - a mere £213 separates them.

Rose can also influence Ian Poulter's bid to avoid needing a wild card.
Poulter decided to play in America this week to chase the world ranking points that would earn him one of the first five spots in Faldo's line-up.

A fourth place finish at The Barclays should take him past the resting Karlsson - but only if Rose is not in the top two at Kennemer.

As for the two wild cards, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley are all now reliant on that way in.

Add Poulter, US Tour winner Carl Pettersson and possibly Rose, Kaymer or Fisher to that list and captain Nick Faldo has plenty to think about.