I HAVE been given extra impetus to work hard on the practice ground this week after receiving an unexpected sponsors' invite for next weekend's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Those range sessions with my coach, Colin Brooks, in the coming days will be focused on my iron play, which was wayward at the Scandinavian Masters last week. Rounds of 73 and 72 were not enough to make the cut and, to be honest, I didn't play that w
ell. However, it has been pleasing that even in times of relatively poor form this year the worst I have scored in a single round is three over.
That is going to be vital in what is an important few weeks. After Gleneagles, another week off is followed by Challenge Tour events in China and Kazakhstan. As it stands, I am exempt from the first stage of European Tour Qualifying School and will enter that process at stage two. But if I can get my current Champions Tour ranking up from 70th to at least 45th, I'll be eligible directly for the third and final stage. Still a really tough place to be, but a slightly less onerous prospect than playing through stage after stage.
Although you can't have that in your mind every time you play, it is something to think about and, with Tour School on the horizon, it is heartening that I'm not throwing in stupidly high scores. There is a lot to think about; sometimes I have to remember I've not been a professional for a full year yet, and mental focus is paramount. I have been quite happy with the way I have handled that so far.
Another heartening aspect from Sweden was that I managed to scramble pretty well, my short game stood up to the test when the irons were going offline. It is, as always, just now a case of trying to piece the whole thing together before the Johnnie Walker. The Centenary Course at Gleneagles, already being modified slightly with a view to hosting the Ryder Cup, should suit me because of its' length. And, given this weather, there should be no sign of it shortening up between now and tee off a week tomorrow. The Johnnie Walker is a top tournament and, with the Ryder Cup race hotting up, should attract a few big names this year.
It has, of course, been hard to avoid the Olympic Games in the last couple of weeks and the British team's achievements to date have been fantastic. I know dialogue has been opened with a view to golf becoming an Olympic sport, possibly as early as the 2016 games.
It isn't something which admittedly I have thought much about, but I have seen the comments of other pros, Trevor Immelman among those who have stressed golf should not be an Olympic sport. All I can say is I hope my status is such that I would even be considered for a British team and it would seem a great prospect to compete for a gold medal.
• Lloyd Saltman is sponsored by life and pensions group Aegon UK.
The full article contains 532 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
