Cambuslang golfer Craig Ross will get to rub shoulders with some of the European Tour’s top stars this week when he tees-up in the BMW South African Open.

The Kirkhill youngster has made the trip to the Rainbow Nation on an invitation as a reward for winning last season’s South African Amateur Championship.

Ross is set to be grouped with defending champ Brandon Stone for the opening two rounds and the Lanarkshire ace has his own idea who he’d like as the third member of the three-ball.

He said: “I would like to play with Rory McIlroy to see if I can compete with the one of the world’s best players. But Brandon is a world-class player too.”

This week’s championship will be a real step up for Ross, who continues to make impressive strides ahead of his inevitable switch into the pro ranks.

The 23-year-old showed what he could do a couple of years ago when he upstaged the professionals on the PGA EuroPro Tour to win the Glenfarclas Open at Mar Hall near Erskine.

As he prepares for a debut appearance on the main European circuit, Ross is hoping his past experiences will stand him in good stead for the cut-and-thrust of top level action.

Ross, who sits in 47th spot on the world amateur golf rankings, added: “Having played in a couple of Challenge Tour events and also won a EuroPro Tour event, I’m hoping that will help me a little bit. But the European Tour is a big jump again. I’m just going to treat it like any other event that I’ve played in the past and enjoy the experience.

“It’s very exciting to be playing in the South African Open, getting the season started again and having the chance to play among some of the world’s best and compete against them.

“My overall hopes for 2017 are to try to win one of the big events and to qualify for the US Amateur Championship. It would be great to be selected to represent GB&I in the Walker Cup, but the main goal is to turn pro and try for a Tour card by September.”

Ross will be joined in the field this week by Clydebank’s Scott Henry, who regained his European Tour card at the 2016 Qualifying School but missed his first two cuts of the 2017 campaign.