Making hay on Sunshine

Stephen Browne is hopeful an impressive professional debut in South Africa, allied with the connections which the Chubby Chandler ISM management company have in that part of the world, will open a few doors for the Dubliner when he returns to the so-called Sunshine Tour next month.

"It's a case of fingers crossed that I manage to get invitations into the next two tournaments," remarked Browne (27), who finished tied-11th in his first professional event, the SA Players' Championship, won by Ernie Els.

The newest addition to Ireland's tournament professionals is due home today for a short break before chasing his dream further in the Southern Hemisphere.

However, with the tour taking a Christmas break, the next two events on the circuit - the South African Open in Durban on January 10th-13th and the following week's Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg - are co-sanctioned by the European Tour, and Browne will need invitations to play in either of them. But his performance last week has ensured his place in the next full Southern Africa Tour event, the SA PGA championship in Pretoria a week after the Dunhill.

Indeed, Browne, winner of the European amateur strokeplay before turning to the paid ranks, but who is without a card to play in Europe, has decided that his immediate future must lie in South Africa.

While that is very much the short-term view, his sights are firmly set on his long-term career as the top 30 in the Southern Africa Tour's order of merit earn direct entry to the European Tour's final qualifying school (2002), and that is the cushion he is seeking should he fail to earn enough money from invitations in Europe to win a card without the need to visit tour school.

Although the Sunshine Tour has been under way since last March, Browne's performance in Royal Cape has shot him straight into the order of merit in 61st place and within reach of that top-30 position.

"I was a little disappointed with my final round," said Browne. "The wind switched around and made things that bit trickier, but I birdied three par fours and failed to birdie any of the par fives, which is where you expect to pick up some shots.

"Overall, though, I was very pleased with my performance. It was an amazing week and it took some adjusting just to get accustomed to the fact that I was the one between the ropes. I've watched professionals hundreds of times hitting balls on the range at tournaments, but, this time, the crowds were watching me, looking for my autograph.

"What the week proved to me, however, was that I can definitely compete at this level."