Following a two-year break from golf Jeppe Pape Huldahl believes he is starting to rediscover his best form and is hoping he can make the most of home advantage at this week’s Made in Denmark Challenge presented by Ejner Hessel.
The 36 year old, who won the Celtic Manor Wales Open on the European Tour in 2009, took the decision to stop playing golf in order to spend more time with his family after his young daughter Aura fell seriously ill with immune system and lung problems in 2015.
After his daughter, now six years old, returned to full health last year the Dane chose to come back and compete in the paid ranks, and he quickly returned to form in his fourth start of the season with a third-place finish in Switzerland.
Having exceeded his initial expectations for this season Huldahl is now targeting a return to the European Tour and believes he can put in another strong showing this week at a course he knows well, Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort.
“My youngest daughter was sick for a few years when I was travelling a lot,” he said. “I just didn’t want to do it anymore and her results kept getting worse and it was a real rollercoaster so I had to pull the plug on golf for a while. She is stable now though and it’s all good – bogeys can never get me down now.
“I expected a longer learning curve on my return. I thought it would take me a lot longer to get me back into competitive mode – I played really well in Switzerland and then backed that up with another good week at the Shot Clock Masters – but I am just happy to be out playing again and making cuts.
“I initially didn’t set any goals for the season but I am definitely targeting a return to the European Tour – whether that’s this year or next. This is just a year where I want to get back into it but now I am not too far away I want to keep pressing on and challenge for a place in the top 15.
“Himmerland is a course I know really well as I have played in a lot of tournaments there. It will be great to have my family and friends coming to watch me next week.”
Huldahl, currently 30thon the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, is one of 13 Danish players in this week’s field. Leading the charge for the home country will be Joachim B Hansen, who sits in second place in the Rankings after a runner-up finish in Scotland last week.
