Cantley’s Challenge is to nab precious promotion
Kieran Cantley has had to wait patiently all winter for his golf season to get going. But now he is ready to go “all in” as the Tartan Pro Tour kicks into gear. Cantley has been a star on the Tour first created by former Open Champion Paul Lawrie in 2020 to help out Scottish pros during Covid.
He was first on the Order of Merit in 2021, third two years ago and runner-up to Rhys Thompson of England last year. Thompson grabbed the sole Challenge Tour card that was on offer, but this year there are two cards available.
With that in mind, Cantley gave up his winter work at Golfclubs4cash near Dalkeith to focus on having his game right for the summer.
“It was a big call not to work,” the 26-year-old (inset) told The Sunday Post.
“I had enough to kee me covered for a fe months and I ha to take the ris and back myself. What’s the worst that can happen?
“After going to Tour School last autumn for the
DP World Tour, I wanted to keep the belief and get in the right place mentally for this season.
“Maybe that will be the one or 2% I need to get over the line to get one of those cards.
“I’ve grafted all winter and I’ve been working on the right things.
“Everything feels like it’s in a good place.
“If I’m going to do it, I need to do it now. That’s why I’ve gone all in for this.”
Cantley has won three events on the Tartan Pro Tour, as he gears up for the Scottish Par-3 Championship at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on Thursday and Friday.
It is the first of 14 individual events culminating in the Tour Championship at Trump nternational Golf Links in early October. It is a Tour on which he feels very comfortable and he hopes the good vibes will continue over the summer.
“We’re playing familiar courses and you often get to sleep in your own bed, which makes a big difference,” said the Liberton golfer.
“The standard is pretty good, if maybe not as much as the step-up to the Challenge Tour.
“Having two cards this year is massive. Last year, Rhys played really, really well in the middle of the year, winning three events-in-a-row.
“Lots of players knew they couldn’t catch him after that. I always felt I could.
“I shot good numbers like in the Leven Links, when I had a 62 and 63 but didn’t win the event. That was a bummer. “Then If I had won the Tour Championship at Gleneagles, I would have won the Tour card, but the weather was wild and I finished ninth.
“Rhys won that event, so fair play and I wish him all the best this year on the Challenge Tour.”
With Lawrie fully involved in the Tartan Pro Tour, more sponsors have come in each year with fine courses dotted around Scotland in use. Over the coming weeks and months, the 1999 Open winner will tee it up alongside other Legends Tour players like Euan Mcintosh and Greig Hutcheon, Asian Tour player David Drysdale and Michele Thomson from the Ladies
European Tour. The Scottish pros may be at differing ends of their careers, but Cantley relishes the competition with all of them.
“The Tartan Pro Tour is huge for all Scottish players,” he admitted. “It gives us that opportunity to play. The Tour has grown so much and I don’t see it going any other way.
“It doesn’t matter what Tour you’re on, playing in these events keeps you sharp and honest. And at the end of the day, everyone tees it up to win.
“There’s lot of decent players, a wee bit of competition and it’s fairly close to home. Why would you not play?
“I’m pegging it up to try to get a Challenge Tour card. Others are working on something else.
“But the Tour is good for so many reasons.”
Kyren Wilson revealed salmon and sleep have been the keys to his success during his mission to win a maiden World Championship.
The determined ‘Warrior’, 32, was the first man to book his spot in this year’s Sheffield showpiece with a convincing 17-11 victory over qualifier Dave Gilbert.
And he is ready to realise a boyhood dream and banish the pain of being crushed by Ronnie O’sullivan in the 2020 final after joining forces with a hypnotherapist.
“It’s like groundhog day,” admitted Wilson, who missed fellow potter Oliver Brown’s wedding day as he reached a second Crucible final.
“It’s such a long tournament, you lose what day it is. You’ve got to keep doing the right things, waking up at the right time, eating the right foods.
“I’m going to grow gills I think with how much salmon I’ve eaten!
“I’ve been working with a few people to help me with things. I’ve been working on the mental side.
“I’ve been working with a solution hypnotherapist Chris O’connor. It’s something we started just before the world Championship.
“We’ve been speaking pretty much every single day. It’s just about emptying your stress bucket.
“We all have things going on that can affect our day-to-day working lives. It’s allowed me to go out there and be freer.
“Our minds are so clogged up with so many different things that don’t need to be there. If you can eliminate them and focus only on your snooker it makes the game a hell of a lot easier.
“I’ve had some great sleep this tournament, he’s been knocking me right out.” Wilson was the only seed left in the event come the semi-finals – something that has not happened since way back in 1977.
The five-time ranking-event winner had reached just one semifinal all season and is now the favourite to scoop the £500,000 top prize.
“The Crucible is a different animal,” added Wilson.
“I haven’t had the best of seasons coming here and suddenly you get to the semi-finals and everyone’s saying you’re the favourite.
“I’ve got to handle that. I’m aware of it.”
Having resumed 14-10 up, Wilson won three of the four frames to move a step closer to becoming world champion.
Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2019, came through two rounds of qualifying to reach the Crucible.
But he eventually ran out of steam as his dreams of becoming the first qualifier to lift the treasured trophy since Shaun Murphy 19 years ago went up in smoke.
The Angry Farmer, who punched himself during the 27th frame, reflected: “It’s a really disappointing way to go out because I thought I could win that game.
“There’s nothing to feel too bad about. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved the past couple of weeks.
“I was always battling a lot of elements. We were 8-8 but I felt I was the stronger player.
“I had a shocker last night. He deserved to win the match, I had more than enough chances. I just didn’t take them.
“I just lost my timing and my alignment. I lost confidence in what I was doing.
“I never thought I could get to the semis a few weeks ago. But when you get there you think you can go all the way.
“It’s disappointing now, but it’s OK.”