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VALDERRAMA, Spain - Leading New Zealand golfer Mark Brown is looking to end his first full the European Tour on a high in the season-ending Volvo Masters in Spain.
World No 95 Brown is the lone Kiwi in the elite 57-player field contesting the 4.25 million euro ($9.62m) event being played on the Valderrama course in Andalucia, southern Spain.
He earned his place in the tournament with a standing of 47th on the Order of Merit.
The field has been reduced by three with South Africa's Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and former US Open winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina pulling out.
Since winning the prestigious tri-sanctioned European, Asian and Australasian Tour Johnnie Walker Classic in February, Brown has managed just one top-10 and that was fifth in April's China Open.
"I certainly played well at the start of the year winning twice including the Johnnie Walker Classic but I haven't really played well at all since I've been in Europe," he said.
"The last couple of months in particular have been a real struggle and I have just been so far off the pace.
"I played well in the recent PGA in Japan but for the most part, it's been disappointing.
"I put that down in part to a learning curve for me here in Europe.
"But in saying that, it's good to be here at Valderrama.
"It's a very good course though looking at the scores from last year it's a difficult layout and if the weather turns out the way they are saying, it could play even harder."
Brown seems certain to miss next year's New Zealand Open.
The decision by NZ Golf to agree to co-sanctioning with the secondary US Nationwide Tour from March 12-15 means the event will clash with the PGA's WGC-CA Championship in Florida.
"I am disappointed the New Zealand Open is no longer part of the European Tour," Brown said.
"I haven't spoken with anyone from New Zealand Golf but all I know is that the NZ Open's is the same week as the CA Championship in Doral and I'm disappointed in that regard.
"But the people in position in NZ Golf know more about it than I do and if they are happy with the commercial arrangements, then I'm also pleased."
- NZPA
