Harry Ellis will compete in his first event as a professional at this week’s Made in Denmark Challenge presented by Ejner Hessel and the Englishman is relishing the step-up after a glittering amateur career.
The 2017 British Amateur Champion made the decision to turn professional having made the third Major Championship appearance of his career at the U.S. Open Championship two weeks ago.
The youngest winner of the prestigious amateur title, Ellis also played in the Masters Tournament earlier this season and at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale last year, but now his attention turns to a career in the paid ranks.
After competing at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the 22 year old from Southampton is eager to show his ability on the Backtee course at Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort this week when the Made in Denmark Challenge presented by Ejner Hessel gets under way.
“The U.S. Open was my last event as an amateur and when I look back at my amateur career - obviously it doesn’t mean anything now I’ve turned pro, but I was fortunate not to miss out on too much and was able to achieve more than I ever thought I would,” said Ellis, just the third player to claim the career double of the British Amateur and English Amateur titles, after Sir Michael Bonallack and Michael Lunt.
“Hopefully I can continue that trend into the professional game. I feel like I’ve been able to learn a lot over the last year through my experiences and opportunities that I’ve had. Obviously, this is just the start, the next step for me and another really exciting opportunity.”
Ellis will be playing against several of his 2017 Walker Cup teammates during the season – Jack Davidson, Alfie Plant, Jack Singh Brar, and joins Scott Gregory and Robert MacIntyre in Denmark this week. Now he is a fully-fledged professional, Ellis has set himself goals which will help him strive for success during the Made in Denmark Challenge presented by Ejner Hessel and throughout his career.
“I think it’s being able to contend,” he said. “I’ve seen a couple of guys who I played amateur golf with already win on the Challenge Tour, plus a lot of the names I’ve come across before. Don’t get me wrong, the standard is extremely high, but deep down I believe I can win on this Tour or at least put myself in contention, and that’s all you can ask for.
“There are a lot more factors to winning than just myself but if I can show that I’ve put myself in contention then that’s going to go a long way in my self-belief and my confidence knowing that I belong not only on the Challenge Tour but hopefully on the European Tour and further on in my career.”
While he has experienced plenty of golf on the biggest stage at the Major Championships, Ellis knows that the real hard work begins now, but he believes those occasions will stand him in good stead as he sets off on a new journey beginning this week.
“Being thrown in the deep end at those tournaments – you’re at the ultimate stage of golf playing against the best players in the world on the grand stages,” he said.
“I’m able to be more comfortable in an environment like that which makes it easier when you come over here to play. Those experiences have really put me in a good position to go and have a crack at a pro career now.”
