Mark Hilton, who celebrates his 24th birthday next month, picked up a handy £2,350 for joint 50th spot in the Bell's South African Open in Durban.

Gaining his Sunshine Tour card last year proved a big help for Lewes-based Mark as the other Sussex players without a card all failed in the pre-qualifying.

Ryan Fenwick (Bognor) was the pick of the bunch at two under but even that was not good enough to go through.

In the tournament proper, Jamie Spence (The Nevill), finished three under on 285 and Hilton, after making the cut by one stroke had every reason to be satisfied with rounds of 70, 74, 73 and 71.

Two under after the first round, he encountered putting problems second time out with six three-putt greens.

Despite three-putting the last three, he kept his nerve to card a 74 that ensured him a starting place among the big boys in the final stages and a total of 288.

There were 20 players behind Hilton and those in front couldn't touch Tim Clark who hails from Natal and began the week by winning the pre-qualifying and ended it even more impressively by claiming the title and £79,249 with a closing 65 for a 19 under 269.

After three Tour events, Spence has won £16,152 which hopefully gives him a launch pad towards retaining his Tour card this year.

This week he and Hilton played a practice round together before competing in the re-titled Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg this week.

Much attention there has focussed on the R&A approved Callaway HX, a revolutionary new ball without dimples. Paul Lawrie, the former Open champion, used it in Durban and ended-up joint 26th on 283.

For the most part conditions were hot and windy .

It will take some time before we see see how the latest innovation is received by the pros.

It is the brain child of American Steve Ogg.

Instead of dimples, the surface is a complex pattern of hexagons and pentagons.

He says it travels further than a conventional ball as the design minimises drag and maximises lift.