The more I think about it, the more I believe that my performance at San Roque last year was a good achievement. You do feel for those that have to go back to Qualifying School this week, but it’s only fair if you haven’t played well enough to keep your card. There’s no way you should expect to be on the tour if you’re playing badly, but what I do know is that I don’t want to go back there again.

It has been a good season overall, particularly with the amount that I’ve learnt about myself and my game. And playing with better players has been an eye-opener, a real learning experience. Also, going from amateur to professional golf was a bit of a change. As an amateur, I’d have to plan my season around six or so big events. Now I have to be good all year and try to get myself in contention to win.

I played consistently and solidly for most of the year, although it fell away a bit over the closing weeks of the season. Undoubtedly, the high point was a top-ten finish at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles that guaranteed my card for 2008.

I had played some great rounds up till then and had done well in Qatar, where I finished eleventh and was only six shots off the lead at the end. I didn’t have a great first round and realised that if I had, I could have challenged for the title.

I didn’t have any real disappointments or lows. I’m playing a game I love and probably had more good than bad rounds. You know you’re not always going to perform at your highest level, but I’m still young and as long as I keep working hard at my game and believing in myself, it will start happening.

The good thing this coming year is that everything will be much more familiar, from the courses to the other players and the lifestyle. It takes a bit of getting used to, but now I’ll be drawing on experience.

I’ve been surprised at how friendly everyone has been, but it also helped having my dad, Rupert, caddying for me in the first year. I’d describe dad as my best friend, but it can be hard having a father-son relationship and a player-caddie relationship at the same time. But dad has a lot of faith in me and is going to take a step back from caddying. This week I’ve got Stan Mercer, who used to caddie for Peter Baker and Stephen Gallacher, on my bag, so we’ll see how it goes.

Talking of friendly faces, it’s great to have Rory McIlroy on tour now. We’ve been out for supper a couple of times this week in Hong Kong and played a practice round together on Tuesday. He took my money, actually, but I’ll get him back.

I thought Rory played brilliantly in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews last month. It was only his second event as a pro and he effectively secured his card by finishing third. He also played well in Madrid the next week. It was a fantastic end to the season and I felt really pleased for him. But I have to say, it didn’t surprise me. He is so talented, particularly under pressure, and can shoot really low scores.

We’ve been playing against each other since we were 14. We played in lots of junior tournaments — I’d win some, he’d win some. There’s never been that much difference between us, but although we’re good friends, we still want to beat each other. I’m sure we’ll spur each other on.

I’m reading Jonny Wilkinson’s book at the moment. He reminds me a bit of Vijay Singh with the amount of practice he puts in; one bashes ball after ball, the other hits kick after kick. It’s all about repeat, repeat, repeat until everything is totally grooved.

I find it incredible how Jonny drives himself and how he’d beat himself up if, say, he ate a piece of chocolate and then played badly. He’d feel that he let himself and his team-mates down. He’s a bit strange because he doesn’t like the spotlight he finds himself under. I wouldn’t say you play to be in the spotlight — you play to win, to be the best you can. But then, if it puts you in the spotlight, so be it.

I’ve got a busy schedule up to Christmas and will then take a good break at home with my family. After Hong Kong, I’m off to Australia and New Zealand and will start up again in Abu Dhabi in the new year. Now I’ve got the first year out of the way, I want to start competing for tournaments. I loved winning as an amateur and that’s what’s at the forefront of my mind this season. Beginning this week, I’m looking to get off to a good start.

Schooled for glory

Born September 13, 1988

Lives Chigwell, Essex

Height 6ft 1in

Weight 12st 10lb

2007 Order of Merit 109th

Earnings 2006-07 € 242,067 (about £172,000)

Top finishes in 2007 Ninth, Johnnie Walker Championship, Gleneagles; eleventh, Commercialbank Qatar Masters; thirteenth, TCL Classic, China

— Won the Faldo Series, a competition for young amateurs, three times in a row from 2003

— Britain’s youngest representative in the Walker Cup, aged 16, at Chicago Golf Club in 2005

— Youngest Briton to win a place on the European Tour, finishing fifth at Qualifying School in 2006