He enjoyed a glittering amateur career which included the Silver Medal at the 146thOpen Championship last year, but Alfie Plant now has his sights set on success on the European Challenge Tour – starting at this week’s Challenge de España.
The 25 year old will tee it up at Izki Golf in northern Spain as he makes his professional bow on Europe’s top developmental tour.
Plant turned professional after competing in last year’s Walker Cup for Great Britain and Ireland and has since played in six European Tour events.
He made his Challenge Tour debut as an amateur in 2016 when he teed it up in the Bridgestone Challenge at Heythrop Park Resort, finishing tied 81st.
But with a further two years’ experience under his belt, the Englishman is aiming to contend in the upper echelons of Challenge Tour leaderboards and is targeting a top ten finish in Spain this week.
“I’m really excited to get going,” he said. “It’s been a long winter back home and it’s nice to finally get a card.
“I was pretty consistent as an amateur so it’d be nice out here – in my first year – to get really consistent and make most of the cuts.
“I want to try and get in contention a few times and just see how it goes.
“At the minute, because I’m playing off invites all year, a top ten finish would signal a great week. It would mean that I’d get into next week and try and get some momentum going.
“Top ten is my aim this week and every week.”
Plant enjoyed a memorable week at Royal Birkdale last year when he finished as top amateur in The Open Championship, carding a third round 69 en route to a tie for 62ndplace alongside 2011 Masters Tournament winner Charl Schwartzel.
The Essex-born player will cherish the memories of his Silver Medal win – the prize awarded to the top amateur at the world’s oldest Major Championship – but insists the Challenge Tour is a different task altogether.
“The Open was a dream come true last year,” he said. “I had a great week there at Birkdale and that’s going to be in my memory forever.
“It’s a completely different game now in a different ball park so hopefully I can get a few good rounds this week and see how it goes.”
Plant ended his amateur career by competing in the 2017 Walker Cup, the most prestigious tournament in amateur golf.
And there is now a strong British contingent from that Great Britain and Ireland team competing on the Challenge Tour, with the likes of Jack Singh Brar finishing tied second in the Turkish Airlines Challenge last week while Scott Gregory is in the field in Spain this week.
“There’s a good group of lads coming through from the amateur ranks,” he said. “We’ve played together for a few years now so it’ll be nice if a few of us can get through and crack right on.
“We’ve got some great British guys out there at the minute but they need a new crop to follow them through and crack on. Hopefully we can keep the crowds pleased in the future.”
Joining Plant in Spain this week is Denmark’s Joachim B. Hansen who is in fine form. Following a share of second place in China last month the 27 year old went one better in his next event at last week’s Turkish Airlines Challenge where he secured his maiden Challenge Tour title.
Another player at the peak of his powers is Chile’s Nico Geyger who has recorded back-to-back top five finishes in his first two Challenge Tour starts of the season – and as a result arrives at Izki Golf in fifth place on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah.
