John Swan’s professional career has taken off with a cheque for $2741 after finishing a shot second to Ed Stedman in the Genysis Wealth Advisors Dubbo Pro-Am yesterday.

After sharing the overnight lead at four-under-par 67 with William Oliver and Bradley Fasher, Swan yesterday closed with a bogey-free three-under 68 for 135, one behind Stedman (68-66 134).

Sadly for the Dubbo trainee professional, he missed a 150cm putt on the 36th hole to finish in a tie with Stedman. The tee shot from 184 metres looked at one stage as though it was going to go into the hole.

“I’m disappointed that I missed a putt from that distance on the last hole - despite not knowing that I needed to sink it to tie,” Swan said.

“Happy though that I played solid all day and didn’t have a bogey.

“I was real pleased with my 67 in the first round and figured that if I could shoot four under again today then eight under would be about the mark - it was.

“But I will put it all down to experience and build on that.”

Stedman’s two rounds were both solid. He was just one off the pace Thursday night with 68 and a three under 33 on the first nine yesterday set him up nicely.

He had birdies on four and six and an eagle three on the par-5 7th but a bogey on the second was disappointing after three putting.

Then on the turn he made his move with successive birdies on 10, 11 and 12 but dropped the par-3 15th before another birdie on 16 righted the ship. However on the 18th he missed the green and then failed to hole the par putt to finish with 66.

“This week I’ve driven well, got some really good putts from six to eight feet and could not have been more happy with my chipping,” Stedman said.

Stedman, 33, who plays out of The Vintage Golf Club at the Hunter Valley, is now setting his sights on earning a ticket at the Japan Tour School after just missing out last year.

His biggest tournament victory to date was the Danish Open in 2002 on the European Challenge Tour and the Vanuatu Open in 2000.