Family helps Barham stay focused

Barham has never won on the European tour

Kent golfer Benn Barham says family life has helped him cope with the pressure as he fights to keep his place on the European Tour.

The 33-year-old, from Ashford, has to finish in the top six at the JBWere Masters in Australia this week to guarantee him a card for next season.

But Barham told BBC Radio Kent: "The most important things to me are my little baby and (partner) Jo back home.

"As long as they're ok, I'm ok. If the golf's not good, then so be it."

Barham has admitted that becoming a father for the first time last December has affected his game this season.

"It's not an excuse, I think that's been a factor this year," he said.

"My eyes have been taken off the ball just because I've realised that there's more important things than golf."

Barham added: "I feel I've got everything in the right place now and I can just get on and play for the rest of my career."

I've played a few tournaments that he's been in. I've led him after a couple of rounds and then unfortunately he's overtaken me

Benn Barham on Tiger Woods

With Tiger Woods making his first appearance in Australia in more than a decade, and several top Australian golfers in the field at Kingston Heath, Barham knows he will have to play at his best if he is to get the finish he needs.

"The only way I deal with it is to think long-term because if I think about the consequences if I don't play well this week, then that doesn't make me feel great," said Barham.

"I know over the next 10 or 15 years my game will improve...and I feel that everything will be fine.

"Even if things don't work out exactly how I want them to this week, I feel that I'll have tournament golf to play next year - maybe not at the level I'd hoped, but I'll come back, that's for sure, and I'll be better when I do come back," Barham said.

More than 25,000 fans are expected each day at the Australian Masters, and the tickets sold out after it was announced that Woods was receiving a £1.8m appearance fee to play.

And Barham says having 7,000 fans watching on practice days has been a surreal experience.

"There were so many people there today and it's always a nice buzz when he [Woods] plays.

"I was on the range trying to have a conversation with Jo on my phone and there were three helicopters circling the course trying to film him playing his practice round."

Barham added: "I've played a few tournaments that he's been in. I've led him after a couple of rounds and then unfortunately he's overtaken me."

Woods has reportedly been struggling with the Melbourne heat, but he will not find much sympathy from Kent's top pro.

"It's been 35°C which is hot - but it's not a humid heat like it is in Asia. It's quite a nice dry heat so I'm not going to start feeling sorry for him," joked Barham.