Golf: Lee to test game in Europe

GLENEAGLES - New Zealand golfer Danny Lee is to make his European Tour debut as a professional more out of necessity than choice in the Johnnie Walker Championship tomorrow (NZT).

The 19-year-old is contesting the £1.4 million ($3.38 million) event tournament six months after becoming the tour's youngest champion when winning the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia.

That result earned Lee a two-year European Tour exemption until the end of the 2011 season.

After turning professional in April, he has been competing instead on the PGA Tour in the United States on a series of sponsors' invitations.

He fell short of his goal to earn enough money in 11 appearances to qualify for unlimited starts there this season.

So Lee has now travelled to the Scottish highlands and a rain-softened PGA Centenary course for his European Tour debut as a pro.

"It is nice to be playing in Scotland and to be at Gleneagles for the first time," Lee said today.

" The course is very different to some of the courses I have been playing on this year in the States, and it is going to play very long after the rain we've had today."

Lee intends taking full advantage of his European exemption by competing over the next three weeks, including next week's European Masters in Switzerland and the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany, which follows.

"I know I am very fortunate to be in a position where I am exempt in Europe for two years," he said.

" I now intend to take advantage of that position and try and do my best competing in Europe.

Joining Lee in vying for this week's 270,000 euro ($572,760) first prize is fellow New Zealanders Michael Campbell and Mark Brown.

Campbell finds himself in one of the star groupings over the first two days with Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal and Scotsman Paul Lawrie.

- NZPA