It’s all about taking your chances in this game and Duncan Stewart certainly did that in the Spanish capital yesterday as he claimed his maiden victory on the European Challenge Tour in the Challenge de Madrid.
After two years of toil on the second-tier circuit, the Grantown-on-Spey man didn’t have a full category for the 2016 campaign and had to rely on an invitation to the latest event but he seized his opportunity with a closing four-under 66 for an eight-under 272 and a one shot victory over Englishman Ben Stow.
Stewart, who has watched his fellow Highlander and former University of Jacksonville colleague Russell Knox soar into the upper echelons of the world rankings, won three times on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2011 as he earned promotion to the second division but after a spell in the doldrums the 31-year-old has now breathed new life into his career.
The windy conditions in Madrid on the final day aided Stewart’s cause and he harnessed the elements to good effect as he grabbed the first prize of around £21,300 and propelled himself up to fourth on the Challenge Tour rankings.
“I don’t think it will sink in for a couple of days but this a massive relief,” said Stewart, who holed a crucial 10-footer for par on the 15th after finding trouble. “If I had missed that it would have changed things a lot. But I played fantastically, up there with the best I have ever played. I would have been pretty disappointed if I didn’t manage to sneak it over the line. I was hoping the weather would be the same as Saturday as I know how to play in the wind so it was right up my street. I just wanted to get off to a good start and I made a birdie on the first both days so that set me up well.
“I wouldn’t say I didn’t see this coming but I am glad I took my chance to win as you get so few opportunities to win out here."
Stow also closed with a 66 but couldn’t reel in the Scotsman while Stewart’s countryman, David Law, shared ninth place on a 277 after a closing 70.
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