I need to finish first or second at this weekend’s Portugal Masters to keep my DP World Tour card. Let’s get it straight – it’s a big ask.
I’m also 50-50 on whether I can play or not, due to a back problem.
I had to pull out last week, and since Valderrama the previous Sunday I had not hit a shot until yesterday afternoon.
I will take a call on it. I managed to get a late tee time at 1.20pm today, which is brilliant because it gives me every chance.
As long as I can get to a level where I’m comfortable enough to play, I’m happy enough to give it my best shot and hopefully I can take off from there.
Sometimes you can improve as the days go on, it happens. You are never 100% fit, there are always wee niggles. It’s the same as footballers.
It’s all about managing them, the injuries. I’m struggling to get into my posture, so as long as I can do that nothing else really hurts.
I’ve been doing a bit of putting and chipping to keep on top of the short game, which is important.
It’s a course I have played a lot, so at least I’ve got that on my side. There’s not much rough, so it’s all in front of me.
If I can play, and ultimately finish in the top two, then great. If I don’t get it, I’ll be going to Tour School on November 11.
At the end of the day, the thing I’m most happy about is that I have been showing a bit of form in the last month.
The last three weeks were good, I was showing some promising signs.
There’s nothing like playing well and having some good scores – it’s the only way you can boost your confidence.
I have made some good strides with my coach, and thinking a bit differently.
The last month has been enjoyable, which it had not been for a bit of a while. It’s been a bit of a grind to be honest.
If I can take some form and good thoughts into Tour School, that’s all I’m wanting just now.
This week is just a bonus.
Obviously I would love to finish first or second, which is my target.
If I don’t do it, I will not beat myself up. I will just prepare for Tour School and hopefully get my card back that way.
McIlroy at top of his game – and his driving stats at otherworldly
Rory McIlroy’s return to the top of the world rankings is just reward for his efforts over the past few months.
From reading all the stuff about him, Paul McGinley touched on a good point using a Michael Jordan analogy about how he had to make it personal to get the best out of himself.
We can see how outspoken Rory has been about LIV, ruffling a few feathers with a few of his pals.
It has actually brought the best out of him. It’s almost as if he has had a personal crusade to show people he didn’t need to go to LIV, and wanted to be number one in the world.
He has done it, and fair play to him.
The thing I found which has gone under the radar is his driving stats.
The fastest he got in 2020 was 184 mph on the course. This year, he is averaging 186 mph and he has had a couple at 190 mph.
He has basically found an extra five mph off the tee, and we know how straight a driver he is.
For somebody who is 5 ft 9 in, and around 160 lb, for him to find that speed without the transformation Bryson DeChambeau had in going from a skinny guy to a big muscly dude, I think that’s unbelievable.
He was already fast, but he has just gone up another level. Every time he goes out he is competing, and nearly winning.
He’s now back to world number one and the only thing he has missed is the major, having gone so close at the Open.
He still has a lot of guys around about him, but I can see him kicking on and winning a few majors now.
Challenge Tour blow for MacLean
I was disappointed to see Chris MacLean miss out on the Challenge Tour.
Clydebank’s MacLean had been on course to claim a victory in the EuroPro Tour Championship, which would have sealed his card for next year, but had to eventually settle for a tie for third.
That’s why it’s disappointing to see the EuroPro Tour ending, because it gives people an opportunity to progress through the ranks.
Mikey Stewart has struggled a bit, and has been bouncing about on different tours, but he stuck to EuroPro, found something in his game and now he’s got a Challenge Tour card.
He’s also going to the Tour School high on confidence, knowing that he’s got a safety net of a full year on the Challenge Tour.
I thought Chris was going to make it as well, and it would have been great to get a couple of Scottish guys out there.
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