The route to a full tour card is not an easy one, that’s for sure. More players fail than ever realise the dream. Yet, there can be no argument about the success of the Challenge Tour in providing not only an education for aspiring pros but also a ticket to the big circus: in fact, the statistic that no fewer than nine of the top-10 finishers in the Spanish Open cut their teeth on the secondary circuit speaks for itself.
Of those ten players who occupied the business end of matters in Valderrama, only Sergio Garcia, who was destined for great things from an early age, didn't benefit from first learning the toughest trade on the Challenge Tour. Andrew Johnston, a maiden winner on tour, beard and all, will serve as the latest motivation for those seeking a place amongst equals.
I was talking with Cormac Sharvin the other day - at FloGas’s sponsorship launch of the Irish Amateur Open - and he is very clear about where he is going and that the Challenge Tour route, where he will be relying on sponsors’ invites for this season, is the way to go in winning a full tour card in Europe and ultimately on the PGA Tour.
Sharvin, let’s remember, was a star of the show in GB&I’s success over the USA in last year’s Walker Cup match. Yes, that same match where Bryson DeChambeau - who has moved into the pro ranks like a duck to water - was on the losing side. The man from the Ards peninsula was one of five Irish players on that Walker Cup team and is the fourth to move on into the paid ranks, having finished up his university studies.
“My schedule this year is basically going to be made up of playing the Challenge Tour and hopefully I am going to get enough points there to get my card for next year so I have something to build on. I think the most important thing for me is having a status (in 2017),” said Sharvin, who will set out on his Challenge Tour itinerary in next month’s Turkish Airlines Challenge in Belek and the following week’s Montecchia Open in Italy. Who Knows? Maybe an invite to the DDF Irish Open on the big tour might yet come his way.
The reality for aspiring players is the importance of getting a status, for without a tour card it is a hard old slog. Sharvin - who has signed for IMG - looks like he will have a busy summer ahead. “I have most of my invites in place. I have a schedule, so I can prepare.... it’s a similar amount of events as an amateur, 15 or more, and I have enough events to keep me ticking over and hopefully to get enough points to get a card.”
Of course, Sharvin isn’t the only Irish player from the Walker Cup team seeking to use the Challenge Tour as a route to bigger and better things. Gary Hurley and Gavin Moynihan are also on the same journey of discovery.
Moynihan, in fact, is in the field for this week’s Red Sea Challenge in Egypt (where the Irish contingent also features David Carey, Rory McNamara, Brian Casey, Alan Dunbar, Chris Selfridge and Gareth Shaw).
For each and every one of them, the Challenge Tour will - hopefully - provide a route to the big time. And, as Johnston showed in Spain, the learning curve of first playing on the secondary circuit is proving to be worth the effort.
Maguire leading way to Olympic qualification
One rather interesting feature to the Olympic qualifying is that Leona Maguire - the world number one ranked amateur - has moved ahead of Stephanie Meadow, who is playing mainly on the Symetra Tour, in the women’s rankings.
Maguire, a student at Duke University, is ranked 48th in the latest standings with Meadow at 50th. The top-59 eligible players - based on world ranking points won in professional events during the qualifying period which concludes on 11th July - plus one player from host nation Brazil will get to compete in Rio.
Meadow has missed both cuts in tournaments this season on the Symetra Tour, which is the secondary circuit on the LPGA Tour, and also missed the cut in the recent ANA Inspiration, the first Major of the season. However, she is hoping to earn an invite into the upcoming Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Alabama which would offer a chance to earn points and to consolidate her qualifying position.
Word of Mouth
"The way my body has been moving through my golf swing I'm not quite happy with. I've lost a lot of weight and I've lost a lot of muscle mass in my body,it just feels a little too loose. So I'm going to get in the gym and try and tighten everything up there and try to add a little bit more weight" - world number one Jason Day on what he'll be doing in his off weeks.
“As a player you’re always harder on yourself. I know that I’m doing pretty well, so I’m trying to be even better every day. That’s just my mind set” - Australiann teenager Minjee Lee, who shot a back nine 30 in the final round to win the Lotte Championship on the LPGA Tour.
By the numbers
33 & 259,600: Jack Nicklaus - the greatest player of all time with 18 Majors on his CV - made $33 on his professional debut. Bryson DeChambeau's fourth-place finish in the Heritage earned him a payday for $259,600 on his first appearance as a pro.
Twitter Twaddle
"Thanks for all the great msgs, what an AWESOME feeling getting it done out here!! Soooo stoked!! #winner #RBCheritage #thankyou #blessed" - Branden Grace - a proven winner on the Sunshine Tour and the European Tour - on earning a maiden PGA Tour win at Hilton Head.
"Felt good to be in the mix again. Congrats to Branden on a great win. Excited for the rest of the season #BridesmaidAgain #RBCheritage" - Luke Donald, without a win on the PGA Tour since the Transition Championship in 2012.
In the bag (Andrew Johnston, Spanish Open winner)
Driver: Titleist 915D3 (10.5 degrees)
3-Wood: Titleist 915F (15 degrees)
18-Degree Hybrid: Titleist 915H
3-9 Irons: Titleist MB 714
48-Degree Wedge: Titleist MB 714
52-Degree Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM5
58-Degree Wedge: Titleist Vokey SM5
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Know the Rules
Q: In a match, A and B were all square playing the last hole. A incurred a penalty without knowing it, and accordingly did not advise B of the penalty. B was aware of what had happened but did not realise it was a breach of the Rules either.
A won the hole and the match, and the result was posted.
Subsequently, a spectator informed B that A had incurred a penalty at the 18th hole. B then claimed the hole and the match, and A conceded the match to B.
Who was the rightful winner?
A: A won the match because a match can only be conceded prior to its conclusion (Rule 2-4).
A gave wrong information when he did not advise B that he had incurred a penalty and would have lost the hole had a claim been made in a timely manner - Rule 9-2b(i). However, a belated claim by B was not valid for two reasons:
1: It was not based on facts previously unknown to B, and
2: The claim was made after the result of the match was announced.
