Alastair Forsyth has spent most of the winter supporting the Rangers revival – but the Paisley golfer is happy he can swap Ibrox for venues on the European Tour.

Forsyth starts the year without a full category for the main circuit. The 37-year-old has not played a competitive round since a failed assault on the European Tour's qualifying school in November.

The two-time Tour winner was well down the reserve list for this week's Joburg Open, but he is now set to get his campaign up and running in South Africa.

The fact he is struggling to get into these events illustrates the perilous position Forsyth is in, and the former Scottish PGA champ admits he is facing another season of uncertainty.

Forsyth, who reached a career high of 19th in Europe in 2003, said: "It's been a long winter and I've been getting fed up. I still have my season ticket for Ibrox and have been going, but I can't get my head around the fact they are in the Third Division.

"I just don't have a clue what this year will bring for me. The South African events were the ones that I could usually bank on, but the fact I'm struggling to get into them has thrown me a bit.

"This is the longest spell I've had without any competitive action. It seems I've been away for ages and watching the tour on the television is an odd feeling."

Forsyth, who was hindered by a niggling wrist injury during the second half of the 2012 season, is entering his 15th year as a professional.

And the former Tartan Tour star is determined to rekindle the glory days.

He said: "There's never been a point when I stopped believing. I'm 37 and have a few good years left. There are guys a lot older who are now playing the best golf of their lives so I'm not all that concerned."