By Amanda Little

Last updated at 11:50, Thursday, 04 December 2008

Gary Lockerbie is hoping to get some top tips ahead of his return to the European Tour when he parties the night away with Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and David Howell tonight.

All four golfers share the same manager in former European Tour player Chubby Chandler, now one of the country’s biggest and most powerful sports agents.

Chandler is throwing a Christmas party in Manchester tonight, which will also be attended by cricketers Andrew Flintoff, Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick and Steve Harmison.

Lockerbie will be there and hopes some of their star quality will rub off on him ahead of back-to-back tournaments in South Africa, marking his European Tour return after finishing second in the 2008 Challenge Tour order of merit.

The 26-year-old Penrith golfer flies to South Africa on Saturday ahead of next week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.

He then returns to the scene of his best European Tour finish, aiming to repeat his top 10 finish in the South African Open Championship at Western Cape the following week.

Lockerbie said: “It will be great to catch up with the other golfers on Chubby’s books – and I’ll take the chance to get a few tips because they’re not too bad at what they do!

“It’s good to be part of the same team as being around top players like that helps to raise your game and bring you on.

“Chubby has been a big support over the years and being taken on by him came at an important time of my career.”

Lockerbie’s maiden professional victory at the Kazakhstan Open – the most lucrative event on the Challenge Tour – earned him a top accolade at the Cumbria Sports Awards in Windermere on Friday night when he won the best performance award.

The victory in Kazakhstan played a central part in winning back his full European Tour privileges and the former county star is determined to get off to a good start in his first events of the season on Europe’s top tour.

He said: “I’ve been spending hours and hours practising in the freezing cold at Penrith Driving Range so I’m ready to go.

“I’m going over to South Africa early to get out on a course and blow the cobwebs away so I’m ready to play.

“It’s going to be tough at Leopard Creek as it always attracts a top quality field, especially with players from the secondary Sunshine Tour in South Africa.

“I’ve missed the cut both times I’ve played in it.

“I’ve probably a more realistic chance of doing well at the South African Open Championship.

“I finished eighth there a couple of years ago but it is being played on a different course now.”

First published at 11:26, Thursday, 04 December 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk