Marc Warren's hopes of making some major gains in China's financial capital began brightly enough on a dull and damp day as the Scot posted a two-under 70 in the opening round of the BMW Masters, the first event in the European Tour's lucrative 'Final Series.'
Marc Warren's hopes of making some major gains in China's financial capital began brightly enough on a dull and damp day as the Scot posted a two-under 70 in the opening round of the BMW Masters, the first event in the European Tour's lucrative 'Final Series.'
Warren, who was last night sitting just five shots behind early leader Alexander Levy in Shanghai, certainly has his eyes on the big prizes over the next four weeks but the three-time tour champion is looking ahead to 2015.
At 20th on the Race to Dubai - already 13 spots higher than his career best finish of 33rd last season - Warren is keen to keep climbing and secure a host of major opportunities. The Scot is already guaranteed a start in the 2015 US PGA Championship but if he can break into the top-15 of the European rankings by the end of this money-laden stretch he could secure places in the US Open and the Open at St Andrews.
At No.68 on the world rankings, Warren also has the Masters in his sights and could earn a much sought after invitation to Augusta by barging into the top 50. There is plenty to play for.
"You play well all year to get yourself into the Final Four Series and, while it's already been a great season, I still have a lot of big goals to kick at," said Warren, a winner on the European circuit in Denmark this season. "I'm in a great position at 20th on the Race to Dubai and if I can have at least two or three good weeks out of these four then I could move up and open those major championship doors, like qualify automatically for the Open which is my big goal. So these are four big weeks and, while you want to play well each and every week, there is just so much at stake career-wise over this month."
Warren is back to competition after a week's break following a middle-of-the-pack finish in the rain shortened Portugal Masters. "I only touched a club once in the week off as I wanted to remain fresh as I can for these four weeks in which I will be playing a lot of golf. It was more a case of resting up."
Warren's compatriot, Richie Ramsay also opened his challenge with a two-under 70, while Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher had to settle for a level-par 72.
On the European Challenge Tour, Glasgow's Andrew McArthur kept his bid from promotion to the main tour on course with a three-under 69 in the first round of the National Bank of Oman Open, the penultimate event of the campaign. McArthur, who sits four strokes behind English frontrunner Jason Palmer, lies in 18th place on the rankings and needs to hoist himself up into the leading 15 to earn a return to the top table.
In Egypt, Elliot Saltman's late push for a place on the Challenge Tour gathered pace as he moved into a two-shot lead with one round to play in the PGA EuroPro Tour's season-ending Tour Championship. Saltman, who needs to rise from 13th on the money list and into the promotion places of the top-five, posted a one-under 71 for a six-under 138 and leads the race for the £15,000 top prize from Alex Wrigley, Nick McCarthy and James Frazer.
Meanwhile, the price of an adult daily ticket for next year's Open at St Andrews has gone up by £5. If purchased before May 31, a ticket will now cost £70 and will be £80 thereafter. There will be no change for concessions, while accompanied children under 16 will still gain free entry. The last time the Royal & Ancient increased the ticket price, at Muirfield in 2013, the total attendance for championship days was down by 20,000 on the previous Open there in 2002.
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