A bogey at the par-three 17th during last week?s Gosling?s Invitational at Belmont Hills ultimately robbed European Senior Tour player Delroy Cambridge a shot at the title.

All square with eventual winner Kirk Hanefeld with two holes left to play, Cambridge threw caution to the wind with an approach shot that left him with little real estate to work with directly below the pin.

And instead of basking in the afterglow of winning a championship, the Jamaican-born Cambridge ended up wearing the bridesmaid?s tag.

It was a performance that best sums up the 6ft 2 ins golfer?s struggles on the course and beyond since joining the European Senior Tour in 2001.

After winning four titles in Europe, to quickly take his career earnings past the $500,000 mark, Cambridge was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003.

?It took me awhile before I could get back on the course. I felt a little weak and after playing nine holes it always felt as though I had actually played 18,? Cambridge, one of the biggest hitters on the European Senior Tour, told .

But not even health problems prevented him from claiming a creditable 12th on the Order of Merit with eight top ten finishes in 2003.

?I guess I?m now getting back to my former self and getting stronger. I?m not taking any medication . . . just watching what I eat and more importantly my sugar intake. I just try to keep things steady,? Cambridge added.

In 2001 Cambridge, who resides in Orlando, Florida, won the Dan Technology Senior Tournament of Champions at Mere Golf and Country Club. More success was to follow in 2002 with victories at the Microlease Jersey Seniors Masters, the Bovis Lend Lease European Masters and the Daily Telegraph/Sodexho Seniors Match Play Championships on the way to finishing third on the European Order of Merit.

Cambridge, currently competing in this week?s Goodwill Tournament, finished tied for 68th at this summer?s Senior British Open.

This year also saw the imposing golfer place in the top ten on six occasions in Europe, sufficient to carry him to 20th place on the money list with earnings of $126,000.

So what it is like playing in Europe?

?It?s more like the US Tour now whereas once you?re in, you?re in and once you?re out it?s difficult to get back in,? Cambridge explained. ?Every week we have a field of 130 players playing over a certain period of the year.?

Finishing runner-up to Hanefeld last week at Belmont Hills earned Cambridge an extra $8,000.

Reflecting upon that tournament, he lamented: ?I just made too many bogeys to win a tournament. I three-putted too many greens and made some really bad mistakes I usually don?t make. I didn?t play too well over the last two holes to put a bit of pressure on Kirk (Hanefeld).

?But it?s all part of the game and there?s always next time. I arrived here thinking the younger guys would have been running away with the tournament. But this golf course is set up for those who are not aggressive who have more patience.

?When I practised before the tournament started the greens were rolling pretty quick but for some reason during the tournament they played slower than usual. I left a lot of putts short and failed to get the speed of the greens down. So I struggled a bit on the greens.?

Cambridge, married to wife Jolet, attempted to qualify for the US Champions Tour earlier this year. However, he didn?t quite make it, finishing in 18th position just one shot off the qualifying mark.

He will now return to Europe next year to continue seeking fame and fortune and bringing glory to his home country of Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.

And despite coming up short last week, Cambridge has enjoyed passing time with long-time friend Dwayne Pearman.

The two first met each other playing in the 1999 Belmont Invitational ? a tournament Pearman had won seven years earlier.

?I?ve been here quite a few times in the past,? added Cambridge, who played most of his golf growing up in White Plains, New York after taking up residence in the US.

?Dwayne and I have known each other for a long time now. He?s a great guy and I always look forward to visiting Bermuda. I have a lot of good supporters here.?