Oliver Wilson arrives at the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final within touching distance of a European Tour card, but regardless of the result this week the former Ryder Cup player believes he is close to returning to the top of the game.
The Englishman currently resides in 18thplace on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, largely thanks to two victories this year, leaving him just three places outside of the top 15 – who will all graduate to the European Tour at the end of the week.
But for Wilson, who previously reached as high as 35thin the Official World Golf Ranking, there have been enough positive signs in his game this season to signal he can compete with the game’s elite again, even if he is unable to secure a return to Europe’s top tier this week.
“I am excited about my game,” said Wilson, who overcame the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood to win the 2014 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“It hasn’t been like this all year and I know that I still need to keep improving, and I have a long way to go, but I feel that I can compete at the highest level again.”
Following a slow start to the season, Wilson re-entered the winners’ circle in August after prevailing in a play-off at the Swedish Challenge – an event hosted by his 2008 Ryder Cup team mate Robert Karlsson.
A top-five finish in Finland the following week put the 38 year old in serious contention for a place inside the top 15, and after three missed cuts in his next four starts Wilson responded with another triumph at Concra Wood Golf Club in Ireland.
With one event to go on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah Wilson sits just 3,735 points behind countryman Tom Murray in 15thplace, and his tactic is simple – go for the win.
“I haven’t looked at my position too much,” he said. “I try not to pay too much attention to that as I am just here to try and play well and win the tournament and finish as high as I can if I don’t win. In the back of my mind I know roughly what I need to do but it still depends on so many different factors this week.
“The carrot is dangling right in front of you this week but I’m here to try and win this tournament and I have to focus on that. If I keep the momentum going and play well every week I will get to where I want to get to, regardless of what happens at the Grand Final."
