Lee patiently waiting to relaunch his 2012 campaign interview

Golf Correspondent

Friday 3 February 2012

It's the usual problem for those lower-ranked players on the European Tour.

Custom byline text:

nick rodger golf correspondent nick.rodger@heraldandtimes.co.uk

One minute you're revelling in the cut-and-thrust of competition on the main stage, the next you're pottering about the house as your clubs gather dust.

Stirling's Craig Lee is in that predicament just now. Having secured a return to the European circuit through last season's Challenge Tour rankings, the 34-year-old was handed opportunities in South Africa at the start of the season. After gaining lift-off with a couple of impressive showings, however, his campaign is now back on the launch pad.

An eighth-place finish in the curtain-raising Africa Open was followed by a 17th in the Joburg Open as Lee laid down solid foundations for the year ahead. The problem now is that he may have to wait a month before he can resume building on that early spadework."I'm stuck in the cold and not going anywhere for a while," admitted the former Tartan Tour No.1, whose next start is likely to be the Andalucian Open in mid-March. "You know this will probably happen when you come out on the tour but it's still frustrating, especially when you've had a good start."Last week, I got a call on Wednesday morning from the tour saying that I was second reserve for Abu Dhabi and asking if I would fly out. "It would've been almost impossible to get out there for a Thursday start and, besides, there was no guarantee I'd get into the field. These are the things that happen when you have a lower category."Lee's frustration has been heightened by a lingering sense of what might have been. He eventually graduated in 14th place on the Challenge Tour rankings but his failure to stay in the all-important top-10 – the promotion zone that offers far more opportunity – is coming home to roost already."You look at the guys who finished in the top 10 and most of them are in this desert swing of big events," added Lee, of the lucrative series of tournaments which continues this week in Qatar."That just shows how important a higher finish on the rankings was so, in that sense, it's a bit of a sore one."At 38th on the Race to Dubai rankings, Lee is currently the highest of the 20 players who came up from the second-tier circuit at the end of 2011. Having played one season on the main tour, back in 2008, he knows all about the rigours of life at the top table but the former Northern Open champion believes he is already reaping the benefits of his time at the Challenge Tour coalface."I felt much more comfortable stepping on to the tour this year," he said. "Having been out on the Challenge Tour for a year, I'm simply far better prepared."I've started well. Now, I have to make sure I come out flying again when I get the chance and build on that."

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Lee patiently waiting to relaunch his 2012 campaign interview

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED