Siem seeing the big picture at The Open

Marcel Siem is so determined to regain his card on the European Tour that he almost turned down his place in the field at The 2021 Open Championship.

A four time winner on the European Tour, he finished seventh on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex in 2014 but that was the last season he won on that circuit and he is now playing on the European Challenge Tour.

His victory at last week's Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge earned him a first Open appearance in six years and he has grabbed his opportunity with both hands, carding two rounds of 67 to head into the weekend at six under at Royal St George's Golf Club.

But it also moved him up to third in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and he admitted he considered teeing it up at the Euram Bank Open instead of the 2021 Race to Dubai's final Major Championship as he looks to secure a top 20 finish and a European Tour card.

I want to get my card back first and foremost

“I saw I was third on the Rankings but I was still thinking ‘Am I ready for the big stage?',” he said. “I want to get my card back first and foremost.

“I heard that 10 per cent of the Open prize money goes towards the Challenge Tour Rankings so then it was a no-brainer to come here. It’s the best event in the world. I’m glad I’m here now. I’ve made the right decision.

“I have to stay humble. I lost my card, I’m coming from nowhere and I will definitely try my best to compete but I can’t give any predictions. I will definitely try to play my best and stay calm and hopefully I will be up on the leaderboard somewhere.”

The German lost his European Tour card in 2018 and while he admits there was a transition period, he is now relishing life on the Challenge Tour.

“It’s been tough the last few years,” he said. “Sponsors have all gone, you have a certain lifestyle that you’re used to and that goes. You can’t play the big events any more, there’s no prize money coming in but the costs are still there."

He added: "I feel I belong on the main tour. But if you don’t accept that you have lost your tour card and you still think you are a European Tour player and you should have a caddie and you should be playing for two million euro, you can’t compete on the Challenge Tour.

“You are grumpy, you are upset. 

"Once you make friends and accept where you are, that’s the only way forward. I’m glad I understood that. That’s the reason I won. You have to show the Challenge Tour respect.”