Matt Wallace may be enjoying another brilliant season on the Race to Dubai but he admitted he was low on confidence after firing a 66 on day three of the Portugal Masters.
While many of his colleagues are battling to keep their playing privileges at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, the Englishman is sitting pretty at fifth on Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex and very much in the hunt to be crowned Europe's Number One.
The 2019 campaign has also seen him achieve a career high of 23rd in the Official World Golf Ranking and record a best Major finish of third at the US PGA Championship.
But after making a big move up the leaderboard in Vilamoura, the four time European Tour winner admitted it had not all been plain sailing, despite his game being in excellent shape.
"A lot of people would be surprised by this but a little bit down," he said of his confidence. "A little bit low sometimes, even though my game is the best it has ever been, literally the best it's ever been.
"It's funny this game, it kicks you quite hard sometimes when you're down and I'm just trying to stick in there and keep grinding.
"When I get on a run like today, I'm not afraid to keep going and hole some putts so I'm very happy with today."
It's funny this game, it kicks you quite hard sometimes when you're down and I'm just trying to stick in there and keep grinding
Wallace made birdies on the fifth, ninth, tenth, 11th, 14th and 17th before three putting the last on moving day, and he admitted the short stick was the key to his success.
"I putted awful yesterday," he said. "I'd like to say I putted like my dad but he was better than that as well.
"I went to the putting green yesterday and spoke to my putting coach Mike Kanski and started seeing the line going into the hole rather than seeing linear lines - that's what I was missing."
