DENIS Durnian is praying for a pain-free season as he starts his warm-up for the PGA Senior Tour in South Africa next week.

Manchester's most enduring professional admitted that his greatest fear is the return of the dreaded tennis elbow that has plagued him in the past.

"I don't think many people realise how much I have suffered over the years," said Durnian.

"It's something I've had to live with. I've tried all sorts of treatment including acupuncture and cortisone injections but nothing seems to work.

"It affects both elbows but mainly the left one and I have to wear a strap on my arm every time I play."

Durnian will be doubly delighted if he avoids the affliction this year and achieves as much as he did in the last one when he finished runner-up in the order of merit and picked up the biggest prize in the history of the tour. The Wigan-born former Northenden professional banked £83,000 for his victory in the Wales Senior Open which was more than he ever won in 21 years on the regular tour.

But the icing on the cake was qualifying for the Warburg Cup at Kiawah Island, playing for the Rest of the World against a star-studded United States side which included Arnie Palmer and Tom Watson.

The Americans won and the match will be played again next year at the same venue.

Career highlight

"I suppose that had to be the highlight of my career. It was my Ryder Cup," said Durnian who twice blew the chance to play in the biennial battle during the 1980s.

It's well documented that he lost his nerve in the final run-up to the 1989 showdown at the Belfry, missing five successive cuts in the run-in and a place in Tony Jacklin's side after looking a racing certainty.

And history nearly repeated itself for the Warburg.

"I was nervous about going to Kiawah and my form dipped in the closing ranking events, he said.

It was touch and go right up to the end but when I knew I had made the team I felt OK and in fact played well in the tournament."

He'll never know if he would have faced Jack Nicklaus who pulled out on the eve of the tournament and was replaced by Dana Quigley - Durnian was due to play against the Golden Bear in the fourballs.

"They would probably have switched the pairings to suit the media," he said.

Durnian, 51, hopes to capitalise on last season's success and pursue his next ambition of winning a card for the mega-bucks US Senior Tour.

"It's not about the money - you can win enough in Europe to be comfortably off - it's the challenge."