LEE James' hopes of regaining his European Tour card effectively disappeared with a double-bogey seven during his final round of the Challenge Tour Grand Final.

The Dorset Golf and Country Club touring professional needed a top two finish to automatically regain his full playing privileges for next season, but could only manage seventh spot.

Despite going into the final round in third place in the tournament, he ultimately ended up around 7,000 euros short of the all-important top 20 places on the Challenge Tour rankings which guarantee European Tour cards for next season.

His hopes were dashed when he could only post a level-par 72 in the rain-delayed final round to leave him at 10 under par - five shots behind the winner Carl Sunseson.

Having made a bright start to his round to stand at one-under for the day on the seventh tee, James trudged off the green at the monster 618-yard par five with a card-wrecking seven and was never able to regain his momentum after that.

A bogey at the ninth followed, before he finally hit back in style with an eagle three at the par five 15th to get an otherwise steady round, which included 12 pars, back to level.

Although the former British Amateur champion's hopes of earning his card through a top-20 place on the Challenge Tour money list are over, James could still be crossing swords with Europe's elite players next season if he can come through the arduous Tour School in a fortnight's time.

Having finished in the top 45 of the Challenge Tour rankings, James - along with fellow Dorset professional Shaun Webster who finished 29th - are eligible to enter final qualifying at San Roque in Cadiz, Spain on November 10.