Three wins. Two gloves. Number One Ranking?
Aaron Rai returns to the Challenge Tour for this week’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final following a three-month absence after his third win in just nine events this season earned him immediate European Tour promotion.
Much has happened on the Road to Oman since the Englishman held the trophy aloft after Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in July, with Tapio Pulkkanen and Julien Guerrier both picking up wins that have pushed Rai down to third place in the Rankings.
Already establishing himself as a European Tour player – he missed just two cuts since his promotion and secured top tens in Denmark and in Valderrama – Rai was in relaxed mood as he arrived at Al Mouj Golf for his Challenge Tour farewell.
“It’s been a good few weeks,” said the 22 year old. “It’s been nice to go out and play a few events on the European Tour. In terms of preparation for next year, it was the best thing I could do – I’m now a little bit more familiar with my surroundings, the people, the course set ups.
“It’s also nice to be back here on the Challenge Tour to see some familiar faces and see a familiar course as well so I’m really looking forward to this week and to this tournament.”
Rai is in the enviable position of not having to worry about results this week but 12 months ago it was a different story, as he faltered in Oman to end the year in 18th place in the Rankings, just two spots short of the European Tour cards.
The 2017 season brought a new Rai. Perhaps hardened by the disappointments of the previous year, and with a lot of experience under his young belt, he won the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open and has not looked back since.
A Major Championship debut soon followed, after another victory in Spain, and on reflection Rai roots much of his success to last year’s near miss in Oman.
“Everything that happened last year certainly helped going into the 2017 season,” he said. “I never expected to achieve what I have done this year, but I try not to set too many goals for myself or have too many expectations.
“The whole experience of playing a full season on the Challenge Tour last year puts you in a much better position for this year just from seeing courses, getting a feel for the level of what’s required and just being more familiar with your surroundings.
“Looking back, results-wise it’s been an incredible year, one that I’ll never forget.”
The pressure may be off this week but Rai is also aware of the stresses and strains many of his friends and competitors will encounter as they bid to join him on the European Tour next year.
“It’s a nice position for me to be in,” he said. “It’s a little bit different to last year and I think in general, for all the guys who are around the top 15 mark and even the guys who are further down the Rankings who have an opportunity this week, the week is ultimately all about them.
“The Challenge Tour is a great platform to learn and to hopefully move up to the European Tour. A few of us who are high enough up in the Rankings, we’re fortunate enough to have that position for next year already.
“I think this week is more about the guys who are around the bubble because this result will determine their 2018 season whereas for us we’re in a very good position in that it doesn’t determine our season so I think certainly the emphasis and focus should be on those guys.”
The only thing that might be at stake this week is the Road to Oman Number One spot. Rai is currently 46,000 points behind leader Pulkkanen, meaning that only victory in Muscat will be enough to deprive the Finn of the crown.
Having won the first tournament of 2017, it would bring a pleasing symmetry to the season were Rai to win the last one as well and bookend a year with victories, as well as confirming himself as this year’s Number One, but he insists it is not playing too heavily on his mind.
“It would obviously be a very nice thing,” he said. “To win any Order of Merit, you have to play consistently throughout a very long period and have a very good year to do so, so to top the Road to Oman would be an amazing thing.
“In terms of actually having it as a goal, it’s not a massive goal going into the week. It’s all about doing the same things you always do and if that happens, it would be an amazing thing, but I’m certainly not thinking about that this week.”
