Gareth Maybin will no doubt relive the putt that horseshoed out on the 72nd hole which would have won him the South African Open, many times over the next few days.

Had he holed it, it would have been a first European Tour title in just his fourth start and meant a two-year exemption.

And although losing out in the play-off to Richard Sterne will hurt at the moment, he has set himself up perfectly for a great rookie season up there with the big boys.

When I spoke to him just before he left for South Africa he had talked about the importance of making cuts to ensure that he retains his place on the main tour but with €144,290 already in the bank, he lies in 11th place in the Race to Dubai standings after his 29th place finish last week and now this runners-up place.

To many it will seem as though the 28-year-old from Ballyclare has come from nowhere.

But the reality is that he spent many years working hard on his game in America after university in Alabama on the low-key Hooters Tour before returning to try his hand in Europe.

He immediately tasted success, forming a great partnership with Michael Hoey as the pair came through a tough qualifying event in Aruba to represent Ireland at last year’s World Cup in China last December.

In his first full season on the European challenge Tour he was in line for his full European card by the summer with victory in the Quingdao Open, also in China, an event he led from start to finish and won by six strokes.

A string of top ten finishes ensured he finished in fourth, well inside to top 20 in the Challenge Tour rankings to secure his playing rights on the main tour.

Ultimately he could not manage a birdie on the back nine and it was that rather than anything he did in the play-off, which ultimately cost him the victory. Clearly, though, his time will come.