A superb final round 64, including three straight birdies to finish, has seen Sydney’s Jake Higginbottom retain his Asian Tour card in spectacular fashion for the second year in a row.

The 21-year-old needed a top-5 finish at the season ending Dubai Open to ensure climbing into the top-60 on the Order of Merit and retain full status but looked unlikely to get there as he entered the final round in a share of 28th place.

But as was the case last year, where he claimed the 60th and final card despite missing the cut in the final event of the season, Higginbottom’s fate wasn’t decided until the final shot of the year was played.

His three consecutive birdies at the 16th, 17th and 18th holes proved crucial in the end, the US$22,750 he earned for finishing T4 vaulting him from 65th on the money list to 53rd.

"I knew I had to go out there and go low to try to keep my card," he told the Asian Tour website after the final round.

"I played well. I felt I played well all week but just couldn’t get anything into the hole. It was nice to hole a few putts today which was good."

"The course is great and you must go for everything. It’s either back to Q-school or not, so I had nothing to lose."

Higginbottom was one of 13 Australians to retain playing privileges for 2015 for finishing in the top 60, Scott Hend the leading Australian in 4th place a little over $1,000 in earnings ahead of Cameron Smith in 5th place.

Terry Pilkadaris capped off a terrific end of year surge in Dubai to finish 43rd on the Order of Merit after hovering dangerously close to 60th position just a month ago.

The West Australian rallied in the final three weeks finishing T7 at the Indonesia Open, T10 at last week’s Thailand Golf Championship and T19 this week in Dubai.

Also punching their tickets for the 2015 Tour are: Unho Park (27), Marcus Both (29), Andrew Dodt (30), Adam Groom (34), Sam Brazel (38), Scott Barr (42), Kalem Richardson (50), Nathan Holman (52) and Kieran Pratt (54).

The Dubai Open was the final golf event of the year with the PGA Tour and European Tour kicking off 2015 in the second week of January.