PAUL DWYER is enjoying his most successful season as a professional.

The Clitheroe-attached pro is currently ranked 12th on the European Challenge Tour with winnings of around £14,000 in 2002.

He has also won around £12,000 in three events on the European Tour this year.

He picked up around £3,500 by finishing joint 41st at the Great North Open - a European Tour event - at Slaley Hall on Sunday and went into today's Volcans Open with confidence high.

"He did pretty well last week," said Dwyer's dad, John. "He slipped back a bit on the third day but got up again a little on the last."

Dwyer scored 71, 73, 76 and then 75 on the final day to finish seven over for the tournament, 16 shots behind the surprise winner Miles Tunnicliff.

"He was rock solid in the first round, he was very pleased. He hit practically all the fairways, hit the greens, chipped and putted when he had to.

"The second day wasn't quite as solid but he got round.

"It was windy on the third day but the final day was toughest, it blew and blew.

"But he is feeling very, very confident now.

"He has started turning his mobile phone off when he is abroad at tournaments so he can stay focused."

If Paul, who turned 29 yesterday, stays inside the top 15 on the Challenge Tour, he will qualify automatically for a European Tour card next season.

It would be the first time the former ELGA champion has qualified for a card.

He stayed in the top 15 of the Challenge Tour for the early part of the season last year but a dip in form at the end of the season dashed his hopes.

He eventually finished 54th and then failed to qualify for a card via the qualifying schools in Spain.

But this year he aims to skip the qualifying school altogether and win a card via the Challenge Tour.

He is even skipping The Open qualifiers - again - to take part in a Challenge Tour event instead.

"He will be in Germany that week so he is going to miss the Open qualifiers but he thinks it is more important to try to boost his Challenge Tour rankings. He did the same thing last year," said dad John.

In just 11 events this season, Dwyer, has earned more than in any other season since turning pro as a 22-year-old seven years ago.

He made just over £2,000 in 1999, £2,600 in 2000 and £14,000 last year in European events.

And he will be hoping to boost the coffers even further by winning the Volcans Open this weekend. The winner will receive £11,000 in prize money.