Only last month Joakim Lagergren was outside the top 100 on the European Challenge Tour Rankings and struggling to find the form that had seem him spend the previous two years on The Race to Dubai, but now all that has changed ahead of this week’s Kazakhstan Open.
Thanks to a maiden triumph a few weeks ago at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge in association with Maui Jim Sunglasses, the 22 year old Swede has turned his season around, and is subsequently within striking distance of a third season among European golf’s elite.
Lagergren believes has not played that bad in 2014, but has just struggled to put 72 holes together in one week, that is until a superb 62 in the opening round at Galgorm Castle proved the perfect foundation on which to build his title tilt.
It would not be plain sailing over the closing three rounds as he surrendered a six stroke lead on the final day, but a closing birdie when it mattered most saw him take the title.
With €72,000 first prize up for grabs this week at Zhailjau Golf Resort, this would therefore be the ideal place for the Swede to rediscover that same form, as he looks to improve on his 39th place on the season-long Rankings.
“It is a lot more fun to play now when you are in the top 45 rather than outside the top 100 on the Rankings, as it feels like you have a good chance to secure a European Tour card if you play good,” said Lagergren. “I’m looking forward to this week, as it is a lot of money, so if you play good you will be close to graduating at the end of the year.
“It is hard to say what the difference was in Northern Ireland, as I have been playing pretty good this year, but just not managed to get four rounds together in one week. There I had one really good round, a couple of pretty good ones and one that was OK, so I managed to play four rounds of good golf.
“This is not a Tour you want to stay on too long as you want to graduate on to The European Tour. In 2012 and 2013 I was there, and I am excited to have a chance to get back, and it is a great motivation out here when you know how good it is being on The European Tour.
“It is hard to say what is best about being out there, but you definitely get motivated when you are playing with big names and idols that you had when you were young. Golf gets a lot more fun when you are playing with those big players.”
If Lagergren is to earn his place back amongst the elite of European golf then he will need a big result or two in the final few tournaments of the year, and with the biggest prize fund of the season up for grabs this week in Kazakhstan, there can be few finer places to just that.
Thanks to the introduction of the Final Swing there are now plenty of opportunities to put together a big week in the closing stages of the season, and Lagergren knows he needs to do just that if he is to move up the Rankings.
He is trying not to focus too much on the money that is up for grabs this week though, as he looks to cash in on his talent in Central Asia.
“When I’m standing over every shot I won’t be thinking about the money this week, as I will be trying my best on every shot regardless of how much we are playing for,” said Lagergren. “It is the same feeling like any event, but it is a big one, so I just need to try and do my best.
“This is the start of the end of the season and with the big money events left, if you play well you are going to secure your card, that’s for sure.”
