Scott Henry returns to the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge, scene of a top five finish last year, hoping that this week at Penati Golf Resort can kickstart his European Challenge Tour campaign this season.
The Scot has made a mixed start to 2016, with some strong finishes on the European Tour at the Nordea Masters and the Lyoness Open, but a best Challenge Tour finish of tied 11that the Red Sea Egyptian Challenge Presented by Hassan Allam Properties – a disappointing return for a player who has previously won the Kazakhstan Open, the most lucrative tournament on the Challenge Tour.
Now 29, Henry was on the cusp of graduating to the European Tour last year, just falling short at the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final despite an excellent final round of 67.
Though he currently lies in 92ndspot, he believes a place in the top 15 of the Road to Oman Rankings is still within his grasp.
“The top 15 is still the aim,” he said. “There’s still 17 events to go, and it’s good that the schedule is so full on the Challenge Tour this year. And in truth, if you can’t make the top 15 playing 20 events here you’ve probably not played well enough.
“I definitely think it’s getting stronger out here all the time, and golf in general is getting stronger year after year. The dedication of the guys and what they do daily now, compared to even five years ago, the work rate has gone through the roof.
“Some of the younger guys coming through, you know they’re already getting good advice because they’re doing all the right things, so everyone’s got to keep pushing.
“I’ve been pretty solid on the European Tour this year. I’ve played five, made five cuts and had some pretty decent finishes, but I’ve not really got going yet on the Challenge Tour to be honest.
“I now want to focus on the Challenge Tour for the rest of the season because there’s a good run of events and I want to start getting some good results here.”
The picturesque Legend Course in Senica, designed by Jack Nicklaus, should suit the long hitting of Henry, not least on the 15thhole – a 783-yard par six, the only hole of its kind on tour and the longest hole in Europe.
“I love the course,” he said “It’s probably the best course we play all year and I really like it here. The weather seems like it’s going to be good again and the course is in perfect condition so I’m looking forward to it.
“If you drive it well then you’ll give yourself great opportunities to score low, and the scoring will be low out here, like it was last year. If you can drive it well you’re hitting wedge into a lot of the holes and that makes it a lot more straightforward.
“It plays to my strengths, having a bit of length, and it helps having that par six there as well – I wish we could play par sixes every hole! It does suit my game this course, especially if I can get the putter going.
“It’s kind of weird playing a par six and being happy making a five – you’re never happy making a five in golf. It’s strange because it’s hard to be happy with a par there, but that’s just the psychology behind golf.”
