PROMISING North Yorkshire golfer Jodi Ewart is looking forward to a break after securing her place on the professional scene next summer.

The leading England amateur finished in tied sixth place at the qualifying school for the US Duramed Futures Tour in Florida over the weekend, which secured her playing rights.

Almost 300 golfers played 72 holes over four different courses before the top 90 returned to complete the 90- hole tournament which is effectively a qualifying school for the Tour.

Ewart, four-under par for the event, was one of only 11 at par or better at the Lake Region Yacht and Country Club. She finished with a two-over 74.

Now the US-based 21-year-old is looking ahead to completing her degree at the University of New Mexico before turning professional and playing on summer.

She said: “It was a very long and difficult week and something I’ve been anxious for all year. Now it’s finally done with and I have what I’ve been working hard for over the past 13 years, it makes the practice in the zero degree temperatures so worthwhile.

“Now I finally have a few months off and some time to concentrate more on school and graduating on time.”

Ewart, who has twice won the English strokeplay championship, is in her fourth and final year at university and is one of the leading players on the US women’s college circuit.

She has also been named in the Great Britain & Ireland squad for next year’s Curtis Cup. Having claimed a place on the development Tour for the LPGA Tour, Ewart will then look to claim one of 20-30 full cards for the main Tour.

It is a similar route which Barnard Castle’s Rob Dinwiddie is increasingly looking like he will be facing next year.

A failure to record a top three finish at the USB Hong Kong Open this week will mean he has failed to retain his main card on the European Tour for a third successive season.

Dinwiddie has already enrolled on the second qualifying stage of Tour school at Jerez, which starts on November 20, having failed to establish himself in the top 115 places in the Race to Dubai rankings.

He stands in 145th place at the moment, but almost 90,000 euros shots of a place that will automatically secure his place on the main Tour next season.

There are no such fears for Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm, however. His only aim when he tees off in Hong Kong on Thursday will be to improve on his 50th position in the rankings.

He has already secured his spot in the Dubai World Championship.