The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Blairgowrie star Neil faces key test in bid to secure Tour card
Blairgowrie star looks to take huge step towards European Tour at Rolex Trophy this week
Bradley Neil can take a huge step to securing his European Tour card in the Challenge Tour’s Rolex Trophy in Geneva this week.
The young Perthshire golfer, who won the Amateur Championship in 2014, has had his best season yet by far since turning professional.
Close to a maiden title on several occasions, the Blairgowrie man has shown the sort of consistency needed to survive at the top of the game.
He is currently sixth in the Road to Oman rankings, with the top 15 on the Challenge Tour getting straight onto the main tour.
“There’s 42 guys here this week who all deserve to be here and if you win this tournament you know you’re beating the best the Challenge Tour has to offer,” Neil told the European Tour website.
“It’s very exciting – you know if you win, you’re beating the Challenge Tour’s best
“It’s definitely a milestone in the season, a target to get into the Rolex Trophy. My main target at the start of the year was to get into the top 45, so my main aim for cementing that was then to get into this event.
“To achieve that is obviously very nice and there’s been some rough spells. Even though I’m sixth in the rankings there have been some bad weeks, some missed cuts, so hopefully I can keep the good results coming from now on.”
Back-to-back runner-up finishes in July were followed by a fourth place in Northern Ireland two weeks ago.
Now approaching the pressure end of the season, results are taking on ever
“…ifyou win this tournament you know you’re beating the best the Challenge Tourhasto offer. BRADLEY NEIL
greater significance, and Neil knows a good showing this week will go a long way to securing his tour card.
He said: “It’s very bunched now. I’m only about 10,000 points off third place but also only about 10,000 points from 14th or 15th. A good finish from any of the guys can move you further away from the pack.”
Neil’s Amateur Championship victory earned him entry into three of golf’s biggest events – the Open, the Masters and the US Open – and he believes the experience of such high-profile tournaments will benefit him as the stakes are raised in the next few weeks.
“I think winning the Amateur was fantastic for me and my career,” he said.
“All the glory and the accolades that came with that, playing the three majors, has obviously given me a different experience.
“I’m obviously not going to experience anything like that again until I hopefully get back to those tournaments, but it does prepare you for getting through all these big events – this is a big event in the Challenge Tour season.
“There are a number of big events coming up, especially in the context of the season and the rankings, so having played in some really big events, it gives you a feeling for how to deal with big occasions. I think I’ve learned how to do that and not get overawed by it all and hopefully I can keep going well.”
The tournament begins today, with the first round seeing two professionals partner two juniors, before the final three rounds are played with each professional partnering three amateurs.