GWENT'S in-form golfer Bradley Dredge (pictured) has a burning ambition -- to win a European Tour event.

If he achieves that aim on home territory in the Wales Open at the £140m Celtic Manor Resort starting on Thursday it would be a dream come true.

Dredge is enjoying his best season already, occupying 22nd place in the Order of Merit with earnings of £330,000 to his name.

Included in that was a £133,000 prize for finishing joint runner-up in the European Open in Ireland, the closest he has come to that elusive first tour win.

"My main aim is to win a tournament," said Dredge. "I feel I'm playing much better and it would be lovely to win the Wales Open this week.

"My game's in pretty good shape, I'm fairly happy with everything and I feel I've done well.

"You always feel you're in with a chance. My form's pretty good, but you can never predict anything."

First prize in the £1.1m Wales Open, the biggest golf tournament ever held in Wales, is £183,330.

Eleven European Tour winners this year are taking part, plus four members of the European Ryder Cup team -- Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Phil Price and Paul McGinley, who won the rain-hit Wales Open last year.