A SIGN of how much a sportsman wants to achieve success in his specified field can be measured by what level they are prepared to drop to in a bid to reach the top.

So when a professional golfer, having lost his place among European golf's elite, takes a few months out to work in a cake factory as he attempts to raise the funds that will bankroll a season to make amends, he means business.

That is exactly, albeit out of necessity rather than choice, what Hartlepool's Graeme Storm did. Now he is reaping the rewards for the dedication and determination he showed during a few years of real struggle, when his dream of becoming a household name on the world stage never looked like coming true.

It was during the winter of 2002 and Storm, dumped by his manager Andrew Chandler and left to fend for himself with crippling debts, feared the worst. Would he have to revert to the amateur game and concentrate on making a living away from the sport he loved?

The problem he had was that golf, apart from his other love, football, was all he really knew. So, in one last ditch attempt, Storm decided to go for broke, quite literally, and gambled all his earnings from the factory on financing one last appearance on the Challenge Tour.

Regarded as golf's second division, there is still a mammoth cost to playing week in and week out across Europe and around the world, something he initially found difficult to come to terms with.

However, things couldn't have turned out any better for Storm. Over £25,000 in that 2003 season secured 26th in the Challenge rankings and, more importantly, an automatic place for the following year.

And it was then he started to feel at home. In 2004 he claimed nearly £70,000, won two events and finished third in the Challenge Tour rankings list - an achievement that guaranteed his return to the full European Tour after a three year absence.

"That was all I ever wanted to do," said Storm. "I knew already, but working away from golf for a living made me realise that I just didn't want to do anything else. Why would I want to do anything different?

"It's quite strange really because I try to forget about that time now and I try to let the good times happen.

"It was great to be back on the European Tour last season and there were times when I wondered whether it would come again. But I was always determined to get back to that level."

The good news Storm had been striving for came halfway through last season. After finishing joint second in the Smurfit European Open, over £200,000 came his way and that cemented his place on the main Tour for this season.

After taking the first two weeks off, missing the Volvo China Open and the Omega Hong Kong Open, he made his bow in South Africa on Thursday in the dunhill Championship.

His performance at Leopard Creek, he will learn this morning whether he has made the cut, failed to repeat his heroics of 12 months ago when he finished eighth - a placing that set the tone for a memorable year.

Having ended up 31st in the Order of Merit, a place in the end of season Volvo Masters showpiece was granted - something he is looking to emulate again in 2006.

But, despite his high ranking, Storm has his mind clearly focused on surpassing anything he may have celebrated last time around - merely pointing to the fact that he has still failed to win a European Tour event.

"I made enough money last season to have ensured I'm financially secure for the year ahead and probably a little further," said Storm, who received almost £600,000 in 2005, before costs. "But, after doing that, I don't want to just settle for the same thing this time. I want to keep progressing.

"I don't want to become just a journeyman of the European Tour, I want to win events and become a player that is recognised as someone who could win events every time we play.

"I have got the right people around me. I have great management (Champions UK), a great coach (Ian Rae) and a great caddie (Steve Rawlinson). I have everything in place to go onto the next level, now I want to do that and make sure I play in more majors, more regularly."

Storm returned to The Open Championship last summer, where he made the cut, but his appearance at St Andrews was his first major showing in a few years.

That wait had not looked like being on the cards in April 2000 when he created US Masters history by becoming the first player to go round Augusta with his mother as his caddie - after his place was afforded to him as British Amateur champion, following his success in 1999.

But first and foremost, before concentrating on playing in more blue riband events, Storm's immediate thoughts are of gaining the perfect start to 2006.

The 28-year-old will stay in South Africa next week for the South African Airways Open at Fancourt Golf Club, before spending Christmas with his family and heading off to Abu Dhabi on January 14.

"It will be nice to relax over Christmas with my fiancee Sara and the rest of the family," said Storm, who is hoping to squeeze a honeymoon into his hectic 2006 schedule after walking up the aisle in August.

"I don't intend to play any golf through the festive period but as soon as it is January 2 I will be working hard; on my own and with my coach Ian Rae.

"Even though it's Christmas I will be trying to eat quite healthily. In South Africa it's been fantastic because it's all healthy eating over here. A healthier diet is part of my plan to get my body in better shape to perform better."

Continental Europe's star of the Seve Trophy, Henrik Stenson, is a friend of Storm's from their days competing against each other on the Challenge Tour.

As well as appearing at The Wynyard Club in September, Stenson has become one of the hottest properties in world golf since the early days of struggling to make a name for himself in European golf's second tier.

Possessing a consistent 300 yards-plus drive, the Swede has started to win on the Tour and is hotly tipped to become a European hero of next year's Ryder Cup.

If Storm, who famously holed the winning putt in the 1999 Walker Cup success over the Americans at Nairn, can climb to Stenson's level he won't have done too badly.

It will be a far cry from his time working in the factory and might go to prove that you really can have your cake, and eat it.

Published: 10/12/2005