The European Challenge Tour heads to France for the Blot Open de Bretagne this week. Here are three men to keep an eye on…
Form horse
Freddy Schott arrives at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André in a confident mood having recorded a tie for fourth place at last week’s Kaskáda Golf Challenge. The German sat in pole position heading into the final round at Kaskáda Golf Resort, however after carding a four over par round of 75 on the final day, he slipped down the leaderboard and finished eight shots behind Denmark’s Martin Simonsen, who secured his maiden Challenge Tour title.
Schott finished in a tie for fifth at the SDC Open in South Africa at the start of the season and currently sits in 37th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. The 21-year-old will be looking for another strong performance in France this week to move into the top 20.
Local boy
Victor Riu climbed 144 places to 55th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings courtesy of a tie for fourth place finish at last week’s Kaskáda Golf Challenge. The Frenchman will be looking continue his impressive form on home soil at the Blot Open de Bretagne this week and break into the top 20 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and secure a return to the DP World Tour for 2023.
Riu secured his maiden Challenge Tour title nine years ago at the 2013 Swiss Challenge and he will be hoping to add a second title to his trophy cabinet in France this week.
The outsider
Ivan Cantero Gutierrez has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2022 Road to Mallorca and currently sits in 31st position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. The Spaniard impressed during the South African Swing at the start of the year, recording a top 20 finish at the season opening Dimension Data Pro-Am, before finishing in a tie for sixth at the Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open at Royal Cape Golf Club.
The 26-year-old continued his good form in Europe with a tie for seventh on home soil at the Challenge de España and will now be looking to break into the top 20 on the Rankings and secure DP World Tour playing rights for 2023. Cantero Gutierrez enjoyed a stellar amateur career which saw him reach Number Three in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and represent Team Europe in the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup.
