Benn Barham who has been invited to compete in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa

Benn Barham was in positive mood this week as he began the long haul to regain his place on the full European Tour in 2011.

The 33-year-old from Tenterden is competing as an invitee in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, which counts as the opening event on next year’s European Tour, after losing his playing card for 2010 in last week’s Final Qualifying School in Spain.

It was a bitter blow for Barham who finished in 63rd place at the PGA Golf Catalunya resort in Girona – 33 places outside the top 30 who earned their full card for the next 12 months.

Rounds of 71, 72, 71 and an impressive 67 saw him make the cut for the final two rounds but a 72 and 71 left him four-under par for his six rounds.

It rounded off a disappointing season for the former Ashford GC member, who finished 133rd in the European Tour rankings.

But he said: "I’m still feeling positive because I feel I’m good enough to play on the full European Tour but maybe what happened this year is the kick up the backside that I needed.

"This week is one of the 10 or so invitations I am likely to get to play on the 2010 European Tour.

"I will also be able to pick what Challenge Tour events I want to play in next year.

"I could look back at the tournament in Austria (in September) when I finished second and say I should have won there, which would have been enough to keep my card.

"But you can’t legislate for someone (Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello) shooting 60 in the final round to beat you, and what that tournament did prove is that I am good enough to win on the European Tour – and I know I haven’t become a bad player overnight."