Alvaro Velasco is hoping for a return to form when he ventures to pastures new at the Turkish Airlines Challenge on the European Challenge Tour this week.
The Spaniard, who was a Challenge Tour Rankings winner in 2010, will tee it up in Turkey for the first time when he plays at Gloria Golf Club in the fourth event on the 2016 Road to Oman.
The 34 year old is hoping for a change in fortunes after missing the cut in the Barclays Kenya Open in Nairobi and the Challenge de Madrid in his home nation’s capital last week.
But the experienced player is a believer in form being temporary and class permanent, and is confident he can return to winning ways on the Mediterranean coast.
“It is the first time I have played in Turkey and I am very excited about going there,” he said. “I was meant to play there over the last few years but things didn’t quite work out and I am really looking forward to going as I have heard the place is beautiful.
“The weather will also be fantastic as well so I am really eager to get out there. Hopefully I can play my best game and put in a good performance.”
After studying at Coastal Carolina University on a golf scholarship, the Barcelona-born player won the Spanish Amateur Closed Championship in 2005 – turning professional later that year.
Now Velasco, who claimed both his Challenge Tour titles in 2010 with the Fred Olsen Challenge de España and the Kazakhstan Open, is hopeful of another good campaign on Europe’s top developmental tour after a profitable off season.
“I have been feeling comfortable for a while and cannot wait to start playing and competing regularly,” he said. “Over the winter I have been doing lots of different things to prepare myself for the coming season.
“I mainly focused on trying to improve my touch because I am a touch player. I also wanted to improve my putting and my short game because that has not been too good for the last few months.
“I have been working hard on trying to improve mentally as that was an area of my game I felt I needed to work on. But overall I am feeling in very good shape.
“Wins is what we are all looking for but before that I want to have a sharp game, feel comfortable on the course and score well. By doing this I will hopefully be getting ready for the wins when they come. This is just the start but I am hoping to progress over the year – and to get another victory would be great.”
