Steven O'Hara tipped for fine season after putting becomes '100 times better'

FOR most of his six full seasons on the European Tour, Steven O'Hara has fretted about his future, having to wait until September, sometimes even later, before being able to relax knowing a place at the top table had been secured for another year.

"He's always been a slow starter," notes his coach, Ian Rae, who is hoping that trend has been bucked after the former Scottish amateur champion produced an eye-catching performance to finish in a tie for fourth behind the Open champion, Louis Oosthuizen, in his first event of the year, the Africa Open, last Sunday.

Outside the top 25 at the halfway stage, O'Hara surged up the leaderboard after closing rounds of 68 and 66, bagging 12 birdies and dropping a solitary shot in 36 holes. Now the Motherwell man will be aiming to take up where he left off when he spearheads the Scottish challenge in the Joburg Open, which starts today at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

The event marks the end of the South African swing before the Tour moves on to the Middle East. With places in three of the four big-money events there virtually guaranteed, O'Hara has a great opportunity to secure his card a lot earlier in the year this time around than he's managed in the past.

According to Rae, that would give the 30-year-old a chance to play with more freedom and show what he is really capable of at the top level, having joined the paid ranks a decade ago on the back of a glittering amateur career, the highlight of which was a winning Walker Cup appearance in the same team as Graeme McDowell and Luke Donald at Sea Island.

"Stevie was one of the best amateurs on the planet and everyone (on Tour] knows how good he is. Indeed, Stephen Gallacher and I were both just saying that in a phone conversation this week," says Rae, who has worked with the Colville Park player since his talent first shone through in winning the Scottish Boys' Championship at Murcar in 1998. "When I sent him a text on Sunday saying 'well done', Stevie was playing his performance down but I was quick to reply by saying, 'you are a bloody great player'. Indeed, I don't think there has been anyone better tee to green than him over the last few years."

Last season, O'Hara, right, finished second in the statistics for greens hit in regulation, while he was also in the top ten for driving accuracy. Putting has been his Achilles' heel, the good work in getting the ball on the green in 2010 being undone by a putts per greens hit in regulation standing of 178th.However, he managed an average of 30 putts per round, two less than his overall figure for last year, in the Eastern Cape last week and both Rae and Brian Marchbank, the player's manager, believe O'Hara could well be turning the corner when it comes to the department of his game that has been holding him back.

"Stevie is a real grafter and he's certainly been working hard on his putting. He now believes he's a better putter and it is good to hear him talking about that because it was definitely something that got him down in the past," admits Rae. "I am hoping the good start he made to the year continues because, if Stevie can secure his card early in the year, similar to what Stephen Gallacher did last season, he would then give himself a free run at tournaments and I honestly believe he could do something special."

Marchbank says he could see an improvement in O'Hara's putting towards the end of last season and now describes it as "100 times better". "The great thing about last weekend was that Stevie wasn't holding back - he was trying to win the golf tournament," adds the man who looks after the golf division for Stirling-based 110sport. "He has always believed in his own ability but putting has been his problem. Hopefully that won't be the case this season. I know Stevie has watched players win on the European Tour and he knows he is as good as them."

At the moment, the only event O'Hara isn't down to play in the Middle East is the new Volvo Champions tournament in Bahrain and he needs to win either this week or in Abu Dhabi to get in that field. Failing that, he will come home for a week's break before returning to play in Qatar and Dubai, with the Avantha Masters also on his short-term schedule straight after that.

As was the case last week, the Joburg line up contains nine Scots, O'Hara being joined by three of his stablemates, Alastair Forsyth, Marc Warren and George Murray, as well as David Drysdale, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman, Scott Jamieson and Scott Drummond, the latter having secured an invite.

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel, the world No 32, is the highest-ranked player in the field. Twelve months ago he recorded rounds of 63, 68, 64 and 66 to eventually win by six shots on 23-under-par.