After an absence of more than 19 months because of injury, Ronan Rafferty is set to make a return to European Tour action. Indications are that his comeback from a damaged left thumb will be in the Portuguese Open at Penina on February 17th to 20th.

Rafferty's last European Tour appearance was in the English Open in June 1998 when he was tied 41st behind Lee Westwood. He had surgery on the damaged digit 12 months ago and his only competitive activity for 1999 was four rounds in the Hassan Trophy in Morocco last November and a missed cut in the Hong Kong Open.

A 10-year exemption for leading the 1989 Order of Merit, expired at the end of last season. As is normal in such cases, however, the European Tour have granted a medical extension for this season.