The European Tour is so close he can just about feel it – but Bradley Neil knows whatever happens in the Challenge Tour finale this week, it’s been a year of progress.
The 21-year-old from Blairgowrie goes into today’s first round of the Road to Oman Grand Final on the Challenge Tour just one place and merely €2151 (£1889) outside the top 15 slots in the rankings that will win European Tour cards for the 2018 season.
And most tantalisingly of all, the former Amateur champion dropped to 16th just last week when he missed the cut at the Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge in the UAE, having been a fixture in the top 15 on the Road to Oman rankings since he had two second places in successive weeks back in July.
But Bradley arrived in Oman with his usual confident attitude and a positive outlook on what lies ahead this week.
“It is quite tough because you know exactly what’s at stake,” he said. “For a while I was inside the top 10 and then I kind of dropped outside it in the last few weeks.
“16th would be a horrible position to be in at the end of this week, but actually coming into the Grand Final it’s not a bad place to be – you know what you need to do, you know that a good finish will do it.
“I’ve had some really good tournaments this year and gone close a few times, so obviously this would be a fantastic place to get my first win of the year.”
Second places in the Czech Republic and Italy were part of a run where Bradley was 43-under-par for nine rounds of golf, a run that started with a 67 at the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Aviemore. After a slowish start to his 2017 season, it was a clear sign that the scoring ability that he showed as a teenage amateur would translate to the professional game.
Two more top ten finishes have followed, including a tie for eighth in the Foshan Open in China just two weeks ago, so he knows his best form is not far away.
Focusing on Challenge Tour play this year at the expense of any short sojourns to the main tour, Bradley has build consistency this year as well as his ability to score. And having played in three major championships and events like the Dunhill as a result of his amateur exploits, he has much more confidence he could make the step up now.
“All the guys here would say they feel they are good enough to play on the European Tour,” he said. “I’ve played some of the best events in the world and with some of the best players in the world, and go to see where my game was compared to them.
“When I did that, my game wasn’t nearly as good as it is now.
“If I did get my card this week, it would be great to see now how my game compares, especially where my confidence is now at. I think I’d do well on the European Tour but I’d be shocked if everyone here this week didn’t think that about themselves.”
Although the goal is obvious for all the limited 45-man field playing this week at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Bradley looks back on a year ago when he was at a low ebb after a season struggling to establish himself.
“Whatever happens this week, it’s been a fantastic season,” he said. “This time last year I was going to Q School Stage 2, my game wasn’t there, and my confidence wasn’t good.
“I got through that and did well at the Q School Final, and that was the spark. No I’m in this position, with a chance of a Tour card, so regardless of what happens here it’s been a really positive year. “Wherever I end up playing next year, I know I’ve got a really good chance to do well.”
