Gary Boyd is taking inspiration from his successful campaign on The Challenge Tour last season as he looks to re-establish himself on The European Tour in 2016.
The Englishman has twice made the step up from the Challenge Tour, finishing seventh on that circuit in both 2009 and in 2015 after losing his European Tour card in 2012.
The 2009 season brought his first professional win at the Tusker Kenya Open but, following three seasons on The European Tour, he struggled in 2013 and 2014 after losing his playing privileges, securing just one top ten finish.
Last season, however, brought a renaissance with six top five finishes and, after an opening 67 at the True Thailand Classic Presented by Chang, Boyd insisted he was better for his Challenge Tour experience.
"It was a tough two years and I had a lot of lows during that time," he said. "It was at a time where I was thinking if this is what I wanted to do, playing golf. I hid a lot inside, practised just as hard as I was doing before. Probably I was practising the wrong thing.
"Then your confidence goes and you start shooting in the 80s, which I'm not used to.
This game is all about learning. I feel I'm a better player compared to two years ago - Gary Boyd
"The scores haven't been showing this year, but last year, I had my best year on Tour and off Tour.
"Six top fives last year was a big boost. I haven't quite got the win since Kenya but my game is feeling like it's getting better every week. I'm working on the same things with my coach and hopefully my scores will show.
"I started at the bottom really, assessing everything in my game. There were too many areas which were poor. It's frustrating when you're playing badly as you can't take confidence from it despite people saying you're good enough.
"You have to assess every part and make a programme from there and take it step by step."
On his five under par round at Black Mountain Golf Club, which came after three missed cuts, Boyd added: "It's nice to go out there and get a nice score on the board early which I haven't done enough this year.
"I played well, hit 18 greens and it's pretty easy from there. It would have been nice to take a couple of chances around the turn which I didn't take but it's a solid performance."
