Dinwiddie hopes to pick up in South Africa

10:47am Wednesday 9th January 2008

AFTER enjoying a break over the festive period, Barnard Castle's Rob Dinwiddie returns to action tomorrow in the hope of continuing where he left off.

The European Tour rookie has already climbed to 73rd in the Order of Merit after a successful start to life in the top tier of the game.

And a confident Dinwiddie is hopeful he continues in that vein of form at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in South Africa, which hosts the Joburg Open starting tomorrow.

"It has been a good opening for me, I had a lovely break over Christmas and I am looking forward to the New Year, it's a great time for me," said Dinwiddie.

"I started well, I know I belong at this level and now I'm just looking to prove it."

In his first three outings on the main tour, Dinwiddie finished 121st in the UBS Hong Kong Open, 30th in the Master- Card Masters and 11th in the Michael Hill New Zealand Open.

It is a record which has already claimed around £15,000 in his earnings and is a further indication that he has a bright future in the game.

He claimed back-to-back wins in the Scottish Challenge and Rolex Trophy on the Challenge Tour last season to cement his main Tour card in his first pro season since graduating from Tennessee State University.