ONE of the area's most promising young golfers continued his adventure Down Under by taking on the best of Australia's rising hopes.

After starring for England in their disappointing �€�Ashes' defeat last month, Wentworth's Seve Benson moved on to the New South Wales Golf Club to compete in the Australian amateur championships.

Despite a disappointing opening round, Benson recovered to make the cut before finishing in a respectable 31st position.

His score after the four rounds of eight-over-par 288, made him the sixth-placed Englishman in the 150-strong field.

Benson, who has enjoyed success abroad in Russia and Qatar over the last 12 months got off to a terrible start with a five-over-par round of 75 at New South Wales.

Knowing that an improved performance would be needed to make the cut, he stepped up a gear to hit a solid one-over-par on day two to move his score to six-over for the tournament.

The Wentworth prot�©g�© then delivered his best round of the competition on day three to give him an outside chance of catching the winners. Benson hit a sensational two-under par round of 68 to put him in contention on four-over, however, it was not to be.

He hit a final round 74 to finish on eight-over, 13 shots adrift of the eventual winner.

Australians Andrew Dodt of Queensland and Scott Arnold of New South Wales finished level on four-under-par after the gruelling four rounds. After three nervy play-off holes Dodt eventually edged ahead to steal the title.

Scotland's Lloyd Saltman, who finished third, led the British charge, while David Horsey was the top finishing Englishman on level par.