Danny Denison is relishing his reunion with a number of old faces when he begins his rookie season on The European Tour next year, but knows there is still some work to be done before the end of the campaign.
The 26 year old heads to the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in fourth place in the Challenge Tour Rankings following an impressive season during which he has captured his maiden Challenge Tour title and has had four other top ten finishes.
One of those was a share of the runner-up spot at the dual ranking Open de Saint Omer presented by Neuflize OBC, a significant contribution towards his earnings of €84,496 with one event left to play, but Denison wants one last good performance of 2011 to finish as high up the Rankings as possible.
“The top ten is the main category that you want, but I’ve just got to try and finish as high as I can and have a strong finish to the season,” said the Leeds man, who won the ECCO Tour Championship presented by Thomas Björn and Mercedes-Benz in August. “I played in the Grand Final last year so I’m pretty hopeful of going there and doing well.
“There’s a lot of pressure during Grand Final week as everyone knows what’s at stake. You just have to try and keep as cool and level-headed as possible during the event. It’s a lot easier for me this year because I know I’ve got my card and I know where I’ll be playing next season.
“There’s been some friendly banter with the other English guys in the top ten – Tommy (Fleetwood), Jamie (Moul) and Sam (Little). It would be great if one of us English boys can win the Rankings. Jamie is a similar age to me so we’ve known each other a long time. Tommy’s a little nipper compared to us, so it’s only the last couple of years I’ve got to know him. He is a very good player and had a great week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“It’s nice that we’ll all be playing together on Tour next year, and I’ve got a few friends who are already playing – John Parry, who’s a Yorkshire lad, and a few others. It’ll be great to get back playing with them too.”
Denison is happy not to be in a position where he is unsure which Tour he will playing on next year heading to the season finale, having already guaranteed a top 20 finish in the Rankings. The Yorkshireman has come a long way since he broke both legs in a car crash in 2007.
“It’s a pretty tense atmosphere in Italy,” he continued. “It’ll be an interesting week again. It is a nice place to end the season. It’s a beautiful place and everyone there gets paid, so it’s a good week and if you win, you’re pretty much guaranteed to get your card.
“I wouldn’t like to be one of the players floating around 19th or 20th. I can imagine there’s huge pressure there. Last year I was 35th heading to the Grand Final and knew I had to finish in the top three, but there wasn’t a massive amount of pressure in that situation. To finish in the top three would’ve been a bonus, but I didn’t have anything to lose.
“This season has exceeded my expectations. I had a good season last year in my first full season back from injury and I was really chuffed with that. Then this year the tied second place in St Omer was the springboard to push on. That was a great opportunity. Then the win in Denmark came sooner than I thought it would, so overall I’m delighted.
“Hopefully I can finish it off on a high at the Grand Final – that’s the plan.”
