Dominic Foos believes his record-breaking win during his maiden season on the European Challenge Tour will be the catalyst that propels him into the top 15 in the 2016 Road to Oman rankings.
The teenager became the Challenge Tour’s youngest ever winner after an empathic wire-to-wire victory at the GANT Open in Finland, aged just 17 years and 347 days.
The German, who won 14 amateur tournaments before turning professional, narrowly missed out on a spot in the Road to Oman top 15 last year after a promising first season.
Foos, now 18 years of age, believes his taste of success will prove key in helping him emulate fellow countryman Martin Kaymer in rising up from Europe’s top developmental tour and on to the European Tour.
“I think it is important to know how to win,” said Foos, who is coached under the watchful eye of Justin Parsons at the Butch Harmon School of Golf.
“I think it is the confidence itself knowing that you’re one of five or six guys to have won last year that are still here on tour this year.
“Of course, last year was disappointing not getting to The European Tour but I thought, this is a good chance now to play a full season on the Challenge Tour and really get it going.”
Foos, who finished tied for 65th in the Challenge Tour season-opener - The Barclays Kenya Open at Karen GC - believes his game has improved after a profitable off-season practising in Dubai, where he is attached to The Els Club.
He believes the Challenge Tour is the perfect stomping ground to hone his game and he now hopes to follow in the footsteps of 2015 graduate Brandon Stone and Haydn Porteous – the winner of last season’s Barclays Kenya Open - who have already won on The European Tour this year.
“My game is in good shape and I played well last week but didn’t score well,” he said. “I am still a little bit rusty after not playing many events but in general I’m feeling good, and I did some good work over the winter time, so I am really looking forward to the season.
“The main goal of course is to get to the top 15 and get the European Tour card but I think if I just play my game and play well within myself I think I will have a good year.
“The jump from the amateur game to the European Tour is too big, I think, because the amateur events don’t show the real professional game.
“The Challenge Tour is a good stepping stone to get on The European Tour and you see that from all the other big players like Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer. I think I am feeling very comfortable here as well so I am looking forward to the season.
“The good thing about golf is that anything can happen, stuff can happen very, very quickly and that shows in how Haydn and Brandon have done.”
