Sherry leaning from Rocca's Example

Gordon Sherry returns to competitive action today in the Tusker Kenya Open in Nairobi, which launches the 1999 European Challenge Tour.

Sherry's career has failed to take off since the mid-Nineties when he was winning everything as an amateur and was fourth in the Scottish Open at Carnoustie.

But he is only 24 and can look to the example set by Costantino Rocca. The Italian did not break through until he was in his late thirties after four visits to the Tour Qualifying School. Iain Pyman, another former Amateur champion and leading amateur in the 1993 Open, also failed to win his full Tour card last November. But he gained a spot in last week's Portuguese Open at Penina and finished in the top 20. He is this week's favourite.

TRW