By Jack Staplehurst

DANIEL Brooks played down his success at the first European Tour event of the season and admitted he was happy just to be back out on the course.

Brooks, from Basildon, finished tied 14th in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, pocketing 21,675 euros in the process.

But he was not entirely happy with his own game, admitting it had given him confidence to finish so high up early on.

“Yeah it was good, to be back playing,” said Brooks, who has been working on his fitness this winter at Club Kingswood. “I’ve been off for six or seven weeks, so to get back out on the course was pleasing.

“It was a funny week. I played OK because I quite liked the course and managed to stay steady, but I think others struggled with the firm course.”

Brooks finished ahead of some star names in South Africa, propelled by a fine final round of 69 that followed up solid rounds of 70, 72, 71.

“I played very nice on Saturday,” he said. “Sunday wasn’t so great but I got my best round. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.” “It gives you a bit of confidence,” he said. “While you’re playing, you don’t think about the other guy out there but to finish among the top was great.

He is now back in England and will spend Christmas with his family and friends before flying back for the South African Open Championship in early January.

Thorpe Hall’s Richard McEvoy also did well in his first competition back on the European Tour.

McEvoy made the cut after making a fine round of 68 on the Friday and eventually finished in tied 61st, earning 3,900 euros.