Jens Fahrbring has returned to Golf & Spa Kunětická Hora, the site of his most recent professional victory, for the first time since lifting the trophy three years ago.
In 2015 Fahrbring battled windy conditions, deep rough and difficult pin positions to top the field at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge — recording the tournament’s highest ever winning total in the process.
“It was a special week,” said the Swede. “It was more relief than anything else to be honest, because it was early in the season which means you’re always kind of stressed. You want to perform.”
The win helped propel the two-time Challenge Tour champion, who only turned professional at the age of 24, to the European Tour, where he has competed for the last two seasons.
At the Barclays Kenya Open, in his only other start on the European Challenge Tour this season, the 34 year old lost in a play-off to Lorenzo Gagli.
Despite missing out on the trophy, that second-place finish in the €500,000 event has been enough to take him to fourth on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah through the first six events.
The lighter schedule, however, is not a case of Fahrbring resting on his laurels, but rather a matter of managing several lingering injuries.
“I’ve had some issues with my shoulder, my neck and my thoracic spine,” said Fahrbring. “It’s been ongoing for two years, mainly the left shoulder. This spring, I made some bad decisions going into the year. I tried to go hard at it in the gym and it didn’t really work out that well, so I had to take a step back and do some rehab.”
The rehab has been working though, and the D+D REAL Czech Challenge will represent the third consecutive tournament that Fahrbring has competed in after playing in Sicily and last week’s Belgian Knockout on the European Tour.
“It’s been a lot better the past few weeks,” Fahrbring said. “I’ve got a good training programme in place. Knock on wood, but if this progress continues I’m very hopeful for the rest of the season.
“But it’s nice to be back. I’ve got great memories, I love the golf course, I love everything about this event.”
Fahrbring will be joined by his fellow countryman Oscar Lengden, who sits one spot behind him in fifth on the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, when a full field tees off tomorrow for the first round of the 2018 D+D REAL Czech Challenge.
Also in this week’s field are Scotland’s Liam Johnston, who won his first Challenge Tour title in Spain last week, and Road to Ras Al Khaimah Number Two Joachim B Hansen – the highest-ranked player in the field.
