COLCHESTER’S touring professional Dale Whitnell says it is an exciting prospect to be heading into the new decade competing on the European Tour.

The 31-year-old launches his challenge in the South African Open in Johannesburg tomorrow, aiming to begin 2020 on a high note.

Whitnell, from Tiptree, clinched his place on the European Tour last November and has already competed in the Australian PGA Championship and Alfred Dunhill Championship, last month.

Now that the Forrester Park Golf Club pro is up and running in this season’s competition, he is looking forward to making a positive impression.

Whitnell said: “It’s something that I dreamed of, as a kid.

“To make it reality is great – it was a bit of a whirlwind year but it’s a dream come true.

“The travelling takes a bit of getting used to again, because I haven’t been doing that as much recently.

“But this is what I work for – to go from not having any status to playing on the European Tour against some of the best players in the world is exciting.

“It’s a massive year ahead for me but I’m trying not to think about it.

“It’s about processes rather than the outcome.

“Earlier on in my professional career, I think I put a bit too much pressure on myself and it led to me expecting too much.

“I’m a bit older and a bit wiser now and I feel that I can now deal with certain scenarios.”

Whitnell was successful in the European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage last November, to earn his coveted Tour card.

It was a fine achievement by the former Walker Cup player, with the Qualifying School contested over 252 holes in three stages across 14 different venues.

A record number of 1,063 entrants battled it out for one of the coveted European Tour cards, surpassing the previous record of 1,026 from 2017.

“From July, I had no status but then I finished third in Slovakia which helped me get an invite to Belgium where I won,” said Whitnell, who made his professional debut on The European Tour at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, in 2009.

“My goal from the start of the season was to gain Challenge Tour status and that happened midway through the season.

“I had nothing to lose at European Tour qualifying and I ended up finishing 25th, where the cut off was 25th.

“I played solidly all week and it was a great feeling and a great relief to make it through.

“I was three under which was cutting it a bit fine I guess but I’d played well.

“I birdied 16 and was three under but then I bogied the 17th, which left me needing a birdie on the last which I got.”

Whitnell tees off on the Bushwillow course in Johannesburg at 7.50am (UK time) tomorrow morning and has been paired with South African duo Samuel Simpson and Vaughn Groenewald.

Competitors will play both the Firethorn and Bushwillow courses over the first two rounds, before the cut sends the surviving players to Firethorn for the weekend.

Dale is on the lookout for sponsorship to help him with all of the travelling costs and the other substantial expense that comes with competing on the European Tour.

Please contact him on Twitter @_bosh1T or alternatively, contact us at gazette.sport@newsquest.co.uk for more information.