BICESTER professional Matt Haddy will next week take the first step towards his dream of playing among Europe's golfing elite.

On Thursday, Haddy, 22, tees off in his debut event on the PGA Europro Tour at Royston Golf Club in Hertfordshire.

The tour is designed to prepares young pros to play for the demands of the sport at the highest level, and having qualified in March, Haddy is relishing the opportunity.

He said: "Since the age of 11 I have always wanted to do this."

"There's one more level after this, the Challenge Tour, and the European Tour is just above that.

"If you finish in the top ten or 15 in the Order of Merit you automatically qualify for the Challenge Tour.

"This year is just to get used to it all. I've given myself two years on the Europro Tour and then I want to be on the Challenge Tour."