Matt Blackey provides the contrasting face of Hampshire golf as the best of the county head for the Belfry this week for the Benson & Hedges International Open and the start of the British loop of the European PGA Tour.

Justin Rose is fast heading towards the £1.5m mark in career earnings while Richard Bland, although not having the best of seasons, is cushioned by the £200,000-plus he earned last season.

But Blackey, fresh up from the European Challenge Tour, is feeling the financial pinch to the extent that his manager has launched a desperate search for a corporate sponsor for the Southampton-based player.

Blackey's earnings so far this season have been just £23,200 from ten tournaments as far afield Hong Kong, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the Canary Islands.

The cost of travel, hotel accommodation and paying for a caddie has left the 31-year-old former Hampshire Open champion with little more than short change.

And with a new apartment to pay for in Bassett, Southampton, Blackey is scraping the barrel.

The pressure is getting to him, none more so than in Portuguese Open recently when he got to within three shots of the lead, then "lost his swing" down the finishing stretch.

Blackey dropped six shots, ended up in a tie for 21st place, and headed for the next tournament in Tenerife knowing that he'd blown something like £30,000.

That's tournament golf and that's why many of the less established players look for some corporate sponsorship for a bit of insulation.

Blackey hasn't found any in Hampshire but as Cowgill pointed out: "We are not looking for a great deal. A maximum of £20,000 for the season, although we would probably settle for half.

"It's not just a one-way thing. In return a sponsor would get a host of benefits from Matt including corporate golf days and PR through the display of a sponsor's logo on hats, bags etc."

Blackey badly needs a confidence boost and he got one at the Spanish Open last week when Peter Lawrie made the play-off for first place.

Cowgill explained: "Matt finished third on the Challenge Tour order of merit last year, one place higher than Lawrie and seeing Lawrie challenge for victory has opened Matt's eyes as to what he can do."

If there are any potential corporate golf sponsors out there, Tom Cowgill can be contacted on 07796 268068.