The European Challenge Tour season is into the final countdown, with just five events remaining on the 2005 Schedule. Starting in The Netherlands at this week’s Rotterdam International Open, the Challenge Tour Members will be looking to either consolidate their positions in the top 20 of the Rankings or break into those all important spots that carry the ultimate prize of a place on The 2006 European Tour.
Every Challenge Tour player has something to play for, be they at the bottom of the Rankings trying to improve their position in order to increase their playing opportunities for next season, or at the top of the money list trying to secure the Number One spot.
England’s Andrew Butterfield is the man to catch in the race to be Number One, the 32 year old having secured €90,022 so far this year. Butterfield has had a wonderful year that, according to the man himself is missing one important factor – a victory.
Butterfield’s rise to the top of the Rankings has been down to his marvelous consistency coupled with an outstanding week at the dual ranking Cadillac Russian Open, where his second place finish secured him a cheque for €44,440.
Standing alongside his four other top five and two further top ten finishes, Butterfield has hauled himself to the top of the Rankings but he won’t be fully satisfied until he adds a victory to that impressive run of results.
He has the chance to do just that at the Golfclub Broekpolder in Rotterdam this week and is relishing the challenge of being the man to topple with just five events remaining on the Schedule.
“I would love to win a tournament before the year is out,” confirmed Butterfield. “That’s the only thing that is missing from what has been a great season for me. I am playing well enough to do it if I keep playing the way that I have been over the past few months.
“I think my confidence has grown as the season has gone on. It was pretty high at the start of the year but since Russia it has come on that extra bit. I think that is something to do with the fact I know I have secured my card for The Tour for next year.
“That has had a double effect in the sense that it has relaxed and spurred me on to win the Challenge Tour Rankings. My goals have changed. I was 27th on the Rankings and then got to the play-off in Russia which has secured my card for next year. From that the confidence builds and builds and now I just need that victory to top it all off.”
