Asian Tour veteran Scott Barr’s late season charge to earn back his full playing status continues this week at the Resorts World Manila Masters in the Philippines.

Barr has clawed his way to 76^th in the rankings after a run of five straight made cuts and after showing flashes of his best last week in India will be hoping to make it into the all-important top-60 who earn cards for 2018.

After 14 consecutive years of keeping his playing rights, Barr finished outside the top-60 in 2016 and has had limited status this season.

However, it’s not the first time he’s been under pressure late in the year, a last-ditch charge in 2015 also required to play the 2016 Tour.

Barr is one of four Australians teeing up this week, Jake Higginbottom returning from a close call at the second stage of European Tour qualifying school to join fellow Asia Tour regulars Terry Pilkadaris and Marcus Both.

Higginbottom roared home with weekend rounds of 67-70 at the Las Colinas Golf Club in Spain but came up one shot short of a playoff for one of the 21 places on offer to advance to final stage.

Despite the disappointment he will be pleased with the state of his game and confident of improving his current 56^th placing on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Pilkadaris was T10 here last year just three shots behind the winner and after a disappointing performance in India last week will be glad to be back in familiar surrounds.

The last of the Australians teeing up, Marcus Both, is in desperate need of a good week as he languishes outside the top-100 in earnings.