By Nick Totten, europeantour.com
At Zhailjau Golf Resort
This week sees Jack Senior return to the scene of his best ever European Challenge Tour finish – Zhailjau Golf Resort – as he looks to recapture the form that saw him record a tie for fourth at the Kazakhstan Open two years ago.
With the biggest prize fund of the season up for grabs and €72,000 set to go to the winner, there is once again plenty to play for in Almaty, with every champion of this event having gone on to graduate that same season to The European Tour.
Senior is therefore very aware of what is at stake as he looks to rebuild his burgeoning professional career after a previous campaign that saw the Englishman stall on the promise he showed as an amateur.
With lessons learned though, and having come out the other side of a tricky period, the former Walker Cup star now seems better equipped than ever to take on the best the Challenge Tour has to offer.
“I have been playing well this year, although the last couple of weeks haven’t been great,” said Senior. “It is nice to come back to a place where you’ve played well before and hopefully this week will be the kick on that I need.
“Last year was a big learning experience for me, and I have tried to take all of the negatives and turn them into positives. It gave me just the kick up the backside that I needed, and this year I have come out as a much stronger person, much stronger mentally on the golf course, and that has helped me massively.
“I just learned not to get so frustrated out on the golf course, which is a big thing. It is hard out here and you just have to stay in the moment and stay positive, as there are a 156 guys every week and they are all competing for the same thing.
“Everything is down to experience, and if you look at the average age of the guys on The European Tour they have been out there five or six years, and I think it is the same thing out here. The big thing is going back to courses you know, as in your first year it is your first look at everything, whereas other guys have got a bigger advantage having seen some of the venues three or four times.”
As it turns out, Senior’s difficulties in 2013 were just what he needed, and after a winter of hard work on his game and a return to his natural draw, he is starting to look like the player many expected him to become, having also claimed two titles on the satellite EuroPro Tour earlier this year.
He has since matched his best result on the Challenge Tour at the Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts back in June, as well as recording a tie for seventh at the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf, so he returns to Kazakhstan in high spirits and hopeful of a career-changing week.
“I worked hard during the winter as I made a big change in my swing,” explained the man at 50th on the Rankings. “I hit a fade all of last year and I decided I didn’t want to do that anymore, as it didn’t work, so I have gone back to hitting the draw. I did a lot of hard work with my coach, and then the start to the season was great with a couple of wins out on the EuroPro, which was a great confidence boost.
“That confirmed that what I had been working on was paying off, and it is like in any sport, when confidence is up the game becomes a bit easier as you are more committed to your shots and not doubting yourself.
“I am a natural drawer of the ball, and decided to hit the fade, but me and my coach were open to admitting it wasn’t working. I did it to try and gain a little more control, but I’ve gone back to the draw now and it seems to have worked.
“Sometimes I think you change for changes sake. Look at Martin Kaymer, he changed to play round Augusta and it didn’t work, but he has come out again this year playing well. As golfers you are always looking to find something to improve your game, but I realised it wasn’t working, so have gone back to basics.”
With increased confidence and a game that Senior can once again rely upon, it would be no surprise if he were to show his true colours on a course that plays to his strengths. If he were to do that, then it truly could be a life changing week in Almaty for the Lancashire native.
“The course suits my game as driving the ball is a big strength of mine, and keeping the ball in play is important this week. Driving and putting is key, and if you can get it 280-90 on the fly, then you can avoid a lot of the trouble as there are some well-placed bunkers out there.
"It is also a little different to two years ago as the fairways are a little tighter and the rough is up a bit.I don’t think the scoring will be as low as previously, but you never know, as there are a lot of good players out here.
“I try not to think about the money too much, but it is always in the back of your mind, as it is a tournament that can change your life! Whoever wins out here will graduate to The European Tour, which is where everyone wants to be, so the money will be on my mind, but you just need to go out, commit to your shots and stay in the moment.”
