By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Rochester

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Twelve years into a professional career which he expected would take him all over the world Gary Evans finally plays his first tournament in America this week.

But the 34-year-old from Worthing is not at the United States PGA championship at Oak Hill just to be able to say he was there.

The last 13 months - or rather three weeks in the last 13 months - have proved to Evans he can perform on a world stage. And now he has given himself the chance he wants to make sure there are more to come.

"The three biggest events I have played in (starting last July) are two Opens and the American Express world championship. I have come fifth, 10th and 15th," said the former English amateur champion.

"I know I can compete at this level. The problem has been getting my foot in the door.

"It is great that I am here at last, but I have got to be careful not to get carried away by just being part of it.

"I am looking forward to playing well. I don't know where I have to finish to get back in next year (it is in the top 15), but if I can do that then I would rate it a successful week."

Evans has still to win on the European tour in over 300 starts - second place in Spain early in his rookie season in 1992 remains his best finish - but at Muirfield last summer he very nearly produced a shock that would have been almost as big as the one American Ben Curtis did pull off at Sandwich last month.

When he created the biggest roar of the week by making a 45-foot par putt on the penultimate green after losing a ball Evans was one in front.

But he bogeyed the last and ended up a shot out of the four-man play-off won by Ernie Els.

That remains the high point of his career, but it cannot be said he has sunk without trace since.

The American Express, his world championship debut, was at Mount Juliet in Ireland last September and he was on the leaderboard the first two days before slipping back to 15th.

Then last month, in successive tournaments, Evans was fourth in the European Open, fifth in the Scottish Open and 10th in the Open. A run that earned him £200,000 and took him to 25th on the European Order of Merit.

There are plenty of reasons to press on. Evans would love to play in the Masters and US Open - and why not set his sights on the Ryder Cup as well? Qualifying starts in three weeks' time.

Also making their US PGA debuts in Rochester, New York, tomorrow are Brian Davis, Luke Donald, Bradley Dredge, Alastair Forsyth and Swede Fredrik Jacobson.