Denmark’s Lasse Jensen is using compatriot and friend Thorbjørn Olesen’s exploits on the European Challenge Tour last season as motivation for his own success, and would love nothing more than a win on home soil in this week’s ECCO Tour Championship presented by Thomas Björn and Mercedes-Benz.
Olesen was tied 12th in last year’s edition of the tournament en route to finishing third in the Challenge Tour Rankings, and this year he is taking The European Tour by storm, reaching 29th in The Race to Dubai.
His achievements have inspired 26 year old Jensen, who hopes to emulate his good friend and achieve similar success in the game, starting at Lübker Golf Resort in Nimtofte, Denmark.
“What Thobjørn did last season is something that I look up to and I try to copy how he did it,” said Jensen, currently 55th in the Rankings. “It is a big motivation to see how he came through the Challenge Tour and is now doing really well and earning a lot of money on The European Tour.
“It makes it easier to believe how close it really is for all of us and that we can do it too. To win in Denmark would be amazing.”
The ECCO Tour Championship returns to Denmark following last year’s tournament in Hamburg, Germany, a move Jensen welcomes.
“Last year it was strange that the ECCO Tour Championship, a Danish event, was played in Germany, so it’s nice that we have the tournament back on home soil this year,” he continued.
“It is a great course and can be a really tough test. I heard a rumour that the head greenkeeper there said ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if the winning score was over par’. They had an ECCO Tour event there last week and only three players finished under par. They are not cutting the rough either, so it’s going to be tough.
“The course is about three and a half hours’ drive from my town and my parents are planning to come up to watch. It’s always nice playing in your home country and hopefully some friends and other family members might be able to make the trip too.”
The event has the much-valued backing of Dane Thomas Björn, who won the Challenge Tour Rankings in 1995 before going on to win 11 titles on The European Tour.
“Having a Challenge Tour event in Denmark is a great thing for the young players in the country, and it’s something I’m very proud to support,” said the 40 year old. “The Challenge Tour played a big part in my career – I was able to win four times in 1995 and the get onto The European Tour as a result, so I’m very happy to be able to give something back to the Tour.”
Last year’s tournament launched the career of young Danish amateur Andreas Hartø, who won by one stroke from Oscar Floren and went on to take the eighth card at the European Tour Qualifying School.
Former champions Antti Ahokas (2008) and James Heath (2004) are also in the field for the €160,000 event.
