CLEETHORPES pro golfer Holly Clyburn is itching to get back "in the mix" at the South African Women's Open tomorrow.
The 22-year-old made her Ladies European Tour debut in Morocco last month, going shot-for-shot with some of the world's top players before a disappointing third round derailed her bid for glory.
That experience of rubbing shoulders with the best has given the rookie a taste for more action – starting at the Southbroom Golf Club, near Durban.
After gaining her tour card for the first time in December, the former Curtis Cup star is far from daunted by the big names around her.
"It was a fantastic feeling to get right in the mix on my debut with all those top players around me," said Clyburn who flew out to South Africa on Sunday.
"Now I'm itching to play on the tour again and get in the mix again.
"I'm really looking forward to it. It's only a three-round tournament but that doesn't matter and the under-par round I finished with in Morocco drives me to get back out there and perform again.
"I went home after that, had a couple of days off, saw both my coaches and now I'm ready to get back out on the fairways.
"The main thing is to go out there, enjoy it and see where that leaves me."
After firing rounds of 69 and 71 to kick-start life on the tour, Clyburn held a top-ten position at the halfway point in Agadir.
But an unexplainable slump on the back-nine the following day saw her card an 80 and plummet down the leaderboard.
The former English amateur champion responded in the only way she knows – with a final round 70, to finish on a high.
"I was ready to shoot under-par on that back-nine, move up the leaderboard and make a name for myself on the tour, but that didn't happen," she added.
"I was very calm all the way through the blip I had and it was a learning curve.
"I dropped from being in the top-ten to right out of contention, so it was heartbreaking but it has made me stronger.
"To come out on the Sunday and shoot under-par has given me a massive amount of belief."
See tomorrow's Grimsby Telegraph for Humberston professional Sophie Walker's thoughts ahead of the South African Women's Open.
