RICHARD McEvoy will look to round off his spectacular week by taking a big step towards saving his European Tour card when he tees off at the star-studded Irish Open for the first time in seven years today.

The Thorpe Hall member said he had the most incredible opening round of his career at the BMW International Open in Munich seven days ago as he came away with a useful 11,800 euros in prize money to move up to 164th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

And he followed that up on Tuesday by booking a dream spot at the 2013 Open through the qualifying event at Sunningdale.

Today he’ll take his place at Ireland’s flagship competition alongside superstars including world number two Rory McIlroy at an event which could attract of a crowd of more than 90,000 in County Kildare.

McEvoy said: “I was a bit disappointed not to finish higher in Munich because I had such an unbelievable first day. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever had a day like it in my career. I made an eagle and seven birdies, a triple bogey and a double bogey.

“I’m usually very solid and have a double bogey at the most and make a few birdies.

“But I think that just shows the improvements I have made over the past couple of months, so I’m progressing.

“It’s the Irish Open this week and my confidence has just built and built over the past few weeks, and qualifying for the Open has just topped it off.

“I was very low on confidence at the start of the year but now I’m looking forward to going back to the Irish Open, and I’m just hoping the weather is OK.”

McEvoy was last at the Irish Open when Thomas Bjorn won in 2006 in a rain-blighted competition which had to be concluded on the Monday.

He’s has made the cut at the last four European Tour events but is still more than 50,000 euros off the top 110 spot he needs to retain his playing privileges.

McEvoy’s Thorpe Hall club-mate Matt Southgate missed the cut in Germany on one-under, as did Basildon golfer Daniel Brooks, who was plus four after two rounds.

South African veteran Ernie Els became the oldest-ever winner of the event at the age of 43 as he led from pretty much start to finish to finish on 18-under.

McEvoy is in a group with Alessandro Tadini and Andy Sullivan at the Irish Open, and they tee off at 9.20am.

The action will be screened live on Sky Sports.