Neil loses out but picks up best cheque of career

Bradley Neil fell short of his first professional victory in the Italian Challenge Open in Sardinia, but the former Amateur champion from Blairgowrie has moved into position to claim a European Tour playing card for next season.

The 21-year-old snapped his streak of rounds in the 60s with a closing 71 at Is Molas, and the furious 65 finish of Swede Joel Sjoholm was enough to turn a two-shot deficit at the start of play into a four-shot win.

Bradley had to settle for a share of second with Chase Koepka, the younger brother of US Open champion Brooks, the second time in successive weeks on the Challenge Tour he has finished runner-up.

However, he picked up his biggest career cheque of €27,000 (about £23,600), which lifted him to seventh in the Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman standings – well within the top 15 that will qualify to play on the European Tour from the satellite circuit at the end of the season.

The schedule isn’t halfway finished yet – there are still 14 events to be played on tour until the Grand Final in Oman in the first week in November – but Bradley is seeking to keep this run going.

“The last couple of weeks have been very encouraging,” he said.

“I’ve displayed the kind of golf that I know I’m capable of. It obviously puts me in a great position for the rest of the season, but I just need to keep up the hard work and the good performances.”

Sjoholm needed an invitation to get into the event but the 32-year-old took advantage and surged into the lead in the final round, and Neil hitting into water on the 10th gave him all the advantage he needed.

“Chase and Bradley both played better than me from tee to green. It was my putter that was the difference,” said the Swede.

Bradley will seek to continue his run at next week’s Challenge Tour event at Le Vaudreuil in Normandy.

In form: Bradley Neil.