Elliot Saltman rises to meet the Challenge

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Elliot Saltman needs only to look at his passport for proof that he's moved on to a bigger stage in recent weeks. The Aegon-sponsored ace has played in events in Morocco, Tenerife, Sweden, France and Switzerland - and his next two are in Kazakhstan and Russia.
He's lying 40th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit and has already secured a full season on that circuit next year, but he also has a card for the main Tour in his sights heading into the final few events of the 2010 campaign.
His first chance is by climbing into the 20 on the Challenge Tour money-list alongside fellow Scots George Murray and Raymond Russell. Failing that, he can get straight into the final stage of the Qualifying School by finishing in the top 45.
It all adds up to an exciting end to the season for Saltman, who started the year playing mainly on the EuroPro Tour and admits he needed a new challenge.
"I think my career was maybe being held back on the EuroPro Tour as it was hard to get motivated to play on that for a third season," said the 28-year-old.
"I needed to get on to a bigger stage and being chucked in at the deep end on the Challenge Tour hasn't been a bad thing.
"I'm now where I want to be and there's no doubt that playing eight weeks on the trot at that level, as I did recently, brings your game on."
Early on in that run of events, the Archerfield Links player finished second in Tenerife - and he now has another big cheque in his sights in next week's Kazakhstan Open.
"Tenerife was the week everything clicked and it's amazing how things have turned around for me since then," he added.
"I'm getting used to seeing the same faces week in, week out and now feel relaxed in what was a new scene for me. I've certainly done a fair bit of travelling and really I'm looking forward to the next two events - in Kazakhstan and Russia.
"The first prize in the Kazakhstan Open is E64,000 - triple what it normally is -and even a top-five finish there would be good. I've been playing well enough, which is reflected by the fact I've made the cut in all but one of my nine Challenge Tour events this year.
"I just need to try and improve my weekend scores, which haven't been as good as those in the opening two rounds and are knocking me down the field."
Instead of joining brother Lloyd in France this week, Saltman headed to Largs to do some work with coach Bob Torrance. And he is hoping that fine tuning can see him make a strong challenge for a main Tour card on those two fronts.
"It is great to know that I have a full year on the Challenge Tour in the bag and can plan things better," he said.
"But it would be even better to be on the European Tour and I honestly believe that is well within my grasp."