Daan Huizing made history by winning the maiden Jordan Mixed Open presented by Ayla and he is hoping the victory in the world-first event will act as a springboard for the 2019 Challenge Tour season.
The Dutchman overhauled players from the Challenge Tour, Staysure Tour and Ladies European Tour to win in Jordan and become the first winner of the event where players from each tour played on the same course for the same prize fund.
It was Huizing’s first victory since his Kharkov Superior Cup win in 2013 and shows fantastic character after missing out on a European Tour card following a double bogey on the 71st hole at the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2018.
However, that is all in the past and Huizing is focused on achieving his goal of having a successful season on the Challenge Tour in 2019.
“It was a big moment for me,” Huizing told the European Tour’s Race to Dubai Podcast. “The adrenaline and the excitement of playing under pressure in Jordan on the final day down the stretch, it’s just a great position to be in.
“That’s probably the biggest thing I’ll take from it. It’s a really big confidence boost for me.
“I’ve been close to victory for the last few years but I haven’t been able to close them out and I’ve had quite a lot of tough moments. Even last year, I only just missed out on my card.
“This is a step in the right direction for me and it shows me and my team are working on the right thing. The experience and knowing that you can perform well under pressure are the things that I will take into the Challenge Tour season.”
The Jordan Mixed Open was a ground-breaking event which was meticulously planned by the tournament’s administrators to ensure a fair and competitive set-up was achieved for all three tours and Huizing hopes this is just the beginning of this format in worldwide golf.
“Jordan was amazing and it was a really great initiative from all three tours to have this forward thinking,” he said.
“I think it’s great when everyone blends in and it shows it can be competitive. I really hope it can grow across the world. I really hope it can help in growing the game.”
