ZIMBABWE'S representatives in the cash-rich European Senior Tour are growing after Mike Williams rejoined the circuit.

The Senior Tour currently has two players on the circuit -- Nick Price and Dennis Watson. Bindura-born professional, Mark McNulty switched allegiance to Ireland in 2003, when he turned 50.

Williams had a good outing at the Qualifying School in Portugal last Thursday.

He won his playing privileges at the Qualifying School held at Pestana Golf Resort after he tied for position 13 after hitting rounds of 68-75-67.

A total of 150 players took part in Senior Tour Qualifying School Stage One in Algarve, Portugal.

From November 12-13 the hopefuls were split across two venues, Silves Golf and the Nick Price-designed Gramacho, with the successful 27 players from each course going onto the Final Stage (November 16-19) at Vale da Pinta, where 18 exempted players joined them.

All three courses are part of the Pestana Golf Resort, which hosted both stages for the first time. The Final Stage has been played at Vale da Pinta since 2001.

Williams made it into the final stage and won his ticket in the European Senior Tour.

There were two types of cards available to the top 18 players from the Finals: the leading six players earned a category six membership, and players ranked 7-18 fall into Category 9b.

For the graduates, the new season will begin with a pre-Christmas trip to Mauritius for the inaugural Mauritius Commercial Bank Open from December 11-13.

That will be followed by the Senior Tour's first trip to South Africa for the Berenberg Bank Masters from March 26-28, which will be played over the spectacular links at Fancourt.

The European Senior Tour has held the Senior Qualifying School every year since 1993 to determine which players aged 50 and over, not otherwise exempted, will gain their playing privileges for the following season.

The Bulawayo-born, Williams excelled at rugby and cricket at school, only taking up golf at the late age of 28 and then turning professional at 36. He became well known in the golfing fraternity through his performances on the Safari Tour and in 1996 finished third in the All-African rankings.

During this time and until 2002, he contributed much into the game in Zimbabwe -- as President of the Zimbabwean PGA and getting "Honorary Life Membership" when he left for South Africa in 2002.

In November 2005 he entered the European Seniors Tour School and finished in position 16 out of 300, which earned him a conditional card to the 2006 Tour. Subsequently he finished in the top 100 in the Order of Merit.