Victor Perez returns to the scene of his maiden European Challenge Tour appearance at this week’s Cordon Golf Open aiming to build on a breakthrough season on the Road to Oman.
The Frenchman is back on home soil at Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val Andre and, in his first full season on the Challenge Tour, is hoping to improve his Ranking of 41st as the season enters its final third.
Two years ago, Perez made his professional debut in the Cordon Golf Open having graduated from the University of New Mexico before graduating from the satellite Alps Tour last year, earning him a return to where it all began in 2015.
“I made my Challenge Tour debut at Cordon,” he said. “I came back from the States that summer and it was my first professional tournament, so a good memory to have.
“I missed the cut by one or two shots I think so it will be good to get back there this week with a bit more Challenge Tour experience and try to put a good tournament together.
“It’s a lovely place. I remember the course being really soft a couple of years ago and I struggled controlling my spin on the greens and getting the ball pin high and giving myself opportunities.
“We’ll have to see how it plays this week – if it’s firm it will be very difficult but if it’s soft we’re going to have to keep our patience and put the ball in the right places.”
Perez – who will turn 25 on Saturday – won last year’s Alps de Las Castillas on his way to fifth place in the Alps Tour Order of Merit.
His best result this season was a share of second place in the Made in Denmark Challenge – presented by Ejner Hessel and, with some significant events to come, Perez is hopeful he can find form at the right time to put himself in contention for a European Tour card come the end of the year.
“It’s been a pretty good season so far,” he said. “It took me a little while to get organised with certain things, how the courses are set up on the Challenge Tour compared to the Alps Tour, but I’m pleased.
“I’ve made a good start to the year, got myself into the Rolex Trophy, and now there are a lot of big tournaments coming up so there’s definitely room for some improvement and for doing something special this year.
“The target is the top 15 – we’re all trying to get as high as we can! We’re in a sport where it’s really difficult to count on anything so you’ve just got to stick to the clichés and take it one shot at a time and see where it takes you.
“It’s obviously different when you first start on the Challenge Tour. I’m a lot more comfortable now in going four rounds – that was my first tournament whereas I think this will be my 12th this year, so I think I’m more prepared for the test now.
“It’s always cool to play in front of your home crowd. Julien Guerrier won earlier this year in Saint-Omer so it definitely helps, and it’s good to be there in your own language, your own culture, and just feel familiar with everything around you, so I’m definitely going to try to take advantage of that this week.”
