Espen Kofstad has set his sights firmly on Rio de Janeiro and Olympic qualification, as the former Challenge Tour Number One looks to build on a promising start to his 2016 season at this week’s Montecchia Open by Lyoness.
The Norwegian topped the Rankings in 2012 but an injury-ravaged couple of years mean the 28 year old has had to return to Europe’s top developmental tour in a bid to rebuild his career.
Now fit, Kofstad’s class is already shining through, with top five finishes in the first two events of the season putting him ninth in the Road to Oman, and while earning a European Tour card remains the overall goal, he acknowledges that the prospect of teeing it up in Rio in August is a strong short-term motivation.
Just win one tournament and I'm in the Olympics - I have six or seven more chances so I'm going to try to take them all
“I’m trying to get into the Olympics because I’ve jumped so much in the Official Golf World Ranking already this year,” he said. “Just win one and I’m in the Olympics is the prediction, and I have six or seven more chances so I’m just going to try to take them all.
“I was told I can miss every cut and win one tournament and that will be enough to get in, or finish second twice, but there’s about ten scenarios. It’s very confusing – I’m keeping it simple and just looking for that one win that will guarantee it.
“I didn’t realise I was that close until people started talking about it, but it would be a great little thing to come into, and it’s a great short-term target too.
“Considering my last couple of years, and my World Ranking being about 1500 at the start of the year, I’ve now jumped 850 spots or something in three events so it’s all looking good.”
Kofstad celebrating his second victory of the 2012 season at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final, and also his trophy for topping the Rankings
That one victory could well come at Golf della Montecchia this week, with Italy having proven to be a very happy hunting ground for Kofstad in the past.
In his seminal 2012 season, he won twice in the Mediterranean country – to date his only two Challenge Tour wins – and he hopes those memories can inspire him to similar success in Padova.
“This has proven to be a very productive country for me,” he said. “I’ve played some really good tournaments here and I think I finished 12th, first and first in the three events I played in 2012.
“I just love it here – it’s such a nice country. It’s target golf, and I’m here to make some birdies and see what happens.
“Every tournament is an opportunity to build on the momentum I already have, I’ve just got to keep going and see what happens but I’m obviously trying to win this week and see where it takes me.”
