A year after capturing his third Challenge Tour title at the Credit Suisse Challenge, Alessandro Tadini is hoping a return to Golf Semperhersee will help spark a return to form.
From tee to green the Italian feels he is playing as well as he has ever done, but blames some below par putting performances for a campaign which could currently be filed under steady rather than spectacular.
Tadini is teeing up on home soil at this week’s Double Tree by Hilton Acaya Open, before flying north to neighbouring Switzerland for the defence of his title.
In a feast of low scoring 12 months ago, Tadini closed with weekend rounds of 64 and 65 to take the title by one stroke from Welshman Stuart Manley and Norwegian Marius Thorp.
Tadini is confident of mounting a strong defence of his title, provided he can find a cure for his putting woes.
He said: “I’m looking forward to going back to Switzerland as defending champion. I played a really good tournament there last year, and to win was fantastic. I have very good memories of the course and I know I can play well there, so it gives me extra confidence. But every year is very different, so we’ll have to wait and see.
“My short game is good and my long game is good, but the same problem every week is my putting. One day it’s good and the next it’s very bad, and when it’s bad I lose my head. My putting makes me crazy!”
Tadini’s travails have not been helped by a hectic playing schedule which has seen him tee up for the past nine weeks, but after the next three events the 37 year old will take some much-needed time off to prepare for the business end of the season.
He said: “It’s been a busy spell with lots of tournaments week after week, but I’m enjoying it and not feeling too tired. I’m very much looking forward to the next two weeks – first in Italy, where I would love to win a tournament on home soil, and then in Switzerland to defend my title.
“Then it’s the English Challenge, and after that I will have two weeks off to recharge and get ready for the rest of the season. Hopefully I can get some good results and start climbing the Rankings, so that I’m in a good position.”
