If Bradley Neil is nervous coming into this week – and, one spot outside the top 15 on the Road to Oman, he would have every reason to be – he was not showing it as he arrived at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.
Just 2,000 points separate the Scot from Sebastian Heisele in the 15thand final European Tour spot heading into the season finale at Al Mouj Golf and Neil is one of a number of players aware that a good result this week could be career-changing.
Two runner-up finishes earlier in the summer looked to have set the 21 year old up to graduate from the Rankings but strong results from others elsewhere have left him with work to do at the 11th hour if he is to take his place in the Race to Dubai next year.
“It’s quite tough because you know what’s at stake,” he said. “For a while I was in the top ten and then I kind of dropped outside that in the last few weeks.
“I’m 16th right now and that would be a horrible position to stay in at the end of the week, but coming into the final event it’s not a bad place to be – you know what you need to do, you know a good finish will do the job.
“I’ve had some really good tournaments this year and I’ve gone close a few times, so obviously this would be a fantastic place to get my first win of the year.”
Neil has long been tipped as a top player, excelling in the amateur game – crowned by winning the Amateur Championship in 2014 – but he initially struggled upon joining the professional ranks two years ago.
In the 15 events he played across both the Challenge Tour and European Tour in 2015, Neil made just one cut, while the following year was little better as he only survived to the weekend on three occasions.
After gaining Challenge Tour status for 2017 through last year’s Qualifying School, Neil has been a man transformed this season, rediscovering his teenage form and combining it with a maturity and consistency that has now taken him to the brink of the European Tour.
Confidence in his game has returned, as is shown by the fact he feels ready to compete at the highest levels again, having already enjoyed three Major Championship outings courtesy of his Amateur Championship win.
“I think all the guys here would say they feel good enough to play on the European Tour,” he said. “I’ve played some of the best events in the world and with some of the best players in the world, got to see where my game is compared to them, and at that time my game wasn’t as good as it is now.
“If I did graduate this week, it would be good to now see how my game compares, especially where my confidence is at – obviously I think I’d do well on the European Tour but I’d be shocked if everyone out here didn’t think that about themselves.”
A lot is at stake in Muscat but Neil – along with his close friend Gavin Moynihan who is in a similar position, coming into the week in 18th place in the Rankings – is keen to celebrate his 2017 achievements regardless of the outcome on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s been a fantastic season, especially compared to where I was last year,” he said. “This time last year I was going to Qualifying School Second Stage, my game hadn’t been there, my confidence wasn’t good.
“Now I’m in this position, with a chance of a European Tour card, so regardless of what happens this week, it’s been a really positive year for my career, myself, my game, and wherever I end up playing next year, I’ve got a really good chance to do well.
“Gavin put a tweet out last week saying, ‘no matter what happens this week, it’s been a positive year,’ and I think I’ve got to apply the exact same theory to me.”
