Joel Girrbach arrives back in Switzerland for this week’s Rolex Trophy with the memories of his maiden European Challenge Tour victory – on home soil – still fresh in his mind.
The Swiss knows Golf Club de Genève well, having competed in national events here throughout his junior and amateur career, but his most significant success came at the Swiss Challenge presented by ASG in June.
That victory has taken him within striking distance of the top 15 on the Road to Oman and enabled him to play in this week’s prestigious event for the second time, following his debut in last year’s tournament.
“It’s very special,” said the 24 year old. “It’s a very different situation to last year, to be here as a winner and to get into the field myself, not needing an invite, so that’s very special.
“I just love this place. They’ve changed a couple of the holes now and it’s just perfect, it feels like a happy place to me and it’s always nice to come back here, I really enjoy it.
I don't know how The Masters feels but it must be kind of like this!
“I don’t know how The Masters feels but when I look around it must be kind of like this! It’s really special with only 42 players, dinners, the guests all here in the evening – it’s a great week.
“I think I won once here as an amateur and I’ve always had good results on this course. I like the place and I hope that those good rounds can keep going this week – I’ve played maybe 50 times at this course, probably more in fact, so I know everything about it and I just love it.”
With only 42 of the Challenge Tour’s best players assembling in Geneva for a pro-am format, unique on the Road to Oman schedule, qualifying for the Rolex Trophy is always a season goal at the start of the year.
With the season now almost two-thirds of the way through, increasing focus is placed on European Tour graduation, and Girrbach acknowledges that, following a breakthrough victory, there is added expectation on him – but that, ultimately, he puts the most pressure on himself.
“The goal is the top 15,” he said. “To get there you need a lot of top tens, or another win, and I think that has to be the goal now. I need some more of those solid weeks and I hope it can start here in Geneva.
“After a win, you can relax a bit more, but if you’re too relaxed you lose your focus and that’s not the goal. Everything is new for me after my first win so I’m learning as well, I need to deal with that experience, but it’s special to be here in Switzerland again, and as a winner.
“A lot more eyes are on me this week, a bit of added expectation now, but the biggest expectation is coming from me and trying to make sure I can keep my standards up.”
