Eric West is feeling inspired after securing an impressive top-ten finish in the South Mid-Amateur at the Forest Creek Golf Club in Texas last week.

Playing among a field of 61, the top local amateur finished the 54-hole tournament tied for tenth at seven-over 223 and also gained precious world ranking points at the Texas Golf Association event.

“The Texas Golf Association has about ten really competitive events a year, both amateur and mid-amateur, and it was my first proper mid-amateur event for world amateur golf ranking points,” West told The Royal Gazette.

After carding 75 and 79 in the first two rounds, the former Tour de las Americas player saved the best for last with a final round 69, which included six birdies.

“I’ve been making all sorts of swing changes all winter and so it was nice to see those come together in the final round,” he said.

“I just play golf for fun now so it was nice to post a good round when it counted.”

West found the going tough playing in the challenging course conditions.

“The course was out in Austin and was playing really tough,” he said. “The greens didn’t really recover from the winter freeze so putting was difficult.

“Oliver Betschart also plays a lot of golf in Texas, which is a great state to learn. Courses are hard and the players know what they are doing.”

Texan Coy Dobson won the tournament by five-shots with an eight-under 208.

Also competing overseas last week was fellow amateur Johnny Bart, who finished tied for sixteenth among a field of 56 in the Golf Ontario Junior Players Invitational at Parkland Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The promising player carded rounds of 78, 76 and, like West, saved his best for last with a final round 74 to sign off at 12-over 228.

Bart had to play the first two rounds on the same day and also contend with the chilly conditions.

“It took a lot of mental work to not let the cold affect me but felt I played decent all week and happy to see the scores getting lower and lower each round,” he said.

“Would like to have a few holes that hurt me back, but that’s golf and all in all a really fun event and learnt a lot.”

Canadian Micheal Vivone won the 54-hole tournament by one shot with a four-under 212.

Bart warmed up for the event competing in last month’s Butterfield Bermuda Junior Championship at Port Royal Golf Course, where he finished tied for fifth among a stellar international field.