DANIEL Brooks is hoping an encouraging start to the season will provide a platform for his first top 60 finish in the end-of-season European Tour rankings.

The 28-year-old from Basildon, has made his best start to a season, picking up 77,031 euros from his first five tournaments.

The bulk of that prize money came from a third-placed finish at the South Africa Open where he finished third, while he also made cuts at the JoBurg Open and Abu Dhabi Championships.

Brooks just failed to make the cut at his last two tournaments, in Qatar and Dubai, but overall says he is happy with his first chunk of action of 2016.

“I was a bit disappointed with my last few weeks,” said the former Woodlands School pupil.

“But I made a really good start in South Africa which I wasn’t really expecting and overall I think my game is in good shape, I just fell a bit ill in the Middle East which affected me.

“My energy seemed to go and my swing went with it because I was trying to hit it too hard.”

Brooks was in contention for the winner’s trophy through much of the weekend at the South Africa Open before eventually dropping back to third.

And he says his early season form was something of a shock as he had something of a busy off-season.

“My first daughter, Bella, was born in November, and we moved house so I was doing work on that and only really practicing on a Sunday. So to start that well was pleasing.”

After five weeks on tour, Brooks is now back at home again and he’ll get three weeks to enjoy spending time with his family and new daughter before he heads off for another round of tournaments in Asia, with the True Thailand Classic the next tournament in his diary on March 10.

“I’ve had a good start and I feel like I was playing nicely again in Dubai,” said Brooks.

“I really want to push on this year to try to make the top 60 in the end of season Race to Dubai rankings this year and play in the big tournaments at the end of the year.”

Brooks is currently 50th in the Race to Dubai rankings after finishing last year in 103rd place.