Edouard Dubois is hoping his strong early season form and his fondness for la dolce vita can help propel him into contention at the Montecchia Open by Lyoness this week as the Challenge Tour returns to Italy.
The Frenchman has already claimed top ten finishes at the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Presented by Hassan Allam Properties and the Challenge de Madrid to put himself 23rdin the Road to Oman Rankings.
When the Challenge Tour was last on Italian soil in October the 27 year old finished in a tie for third place at the EMC Challenge Open in Rome and he is looking forward to returning to the Mediterranean country for the first of two Italian tournaments this season on the Challenge Tour.
“I love Italy,” he said. “The food is very nice, the courses are always good and I’m sure this will be a good event too. I did well in Rome last year so I have good recent memories of the country and I’m glad to be on form going into this week.
“I’ve had two top tens already which is always a good way to start the season. Now I just need to keep going and doing my job, see what happens.
“Three years ago I played when we were last at Montecchia, though I think I did badly and missed the cut by one so I’m going to try to do better and stay around for the weekend this time.
“It’s a good course I remember – they’re always good courses when we go to Italy. But it will be an interesting challenge I’m sure.”
Golf della Montecchia hosted the Challenge Tour in 2013 when Brooks Koepka – now well established in the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking – claimed victory, his first of three that season.
Dubois was also in the field, missing the cut, but, having earned a European Tour card in 2011 after finishing 11thin the Rankings, has his sights set on returning to the big time this season.
“The target this year is very simple,” he said. “I want to get back on the European Tour. It’s the only goal really for this season.
“Whether that’s through the top 15 in the Rankings or winning three times, or even Q-School at the end of the year, I’m just doing my best and we’ll see how it will be.”
