DOAK HOPING FOR FIRE IN HIS BELLY-PUTTER IN INDIA CHALLENGE

FROM NEIL AHERN
European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Chris Doak is counting on the inspiration of Qualifying School winner David Dixon to put some fire in his belly-putter as the Scotsman’s Challenge Tour season tees off at this week’s Gujarat Kensville Challenge, in India.
After an admirable 36th place finish in the Rankings in his first full season on the Challenge Tour, Doak, pictured, is hoping that this will be his year as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of his close friend, compatriot and regular travelling partner last year, Craig Lee, by making the step up to The European Tour.
The Glasgow-born player believes he is well capable of progression this year but knows that he has to improve his putting and, after watching Englishman Dixon win The European Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage last December with a belly-putter, he decided to follow suit with the hope of similar success.
“I played with David at Tour School and he obviously went on to win it,” explained the 34 year old. “So I took his belly-putter and hit a few putts with it after the round – then I was straight on the phone to Callaway looking for one for myself.
“It keeps me still over the ball, so I’m looking forward to using it this year. If I hole two or three more putts a round it’ll make a big difference.
“I definitely played more than well enough from tee to green last year to have earned a card for The European Tour, but it was actually quite embarrassing the way I putted at Q-School, I almost felt like my playing partners were just in disbelief at it. Hopefully, it’s sorted now though.”
Doak was full of praise for Stirling man Lee, who has started The Race to Dubai in superb form, finishing eighth at the Africa Open and 17th at the Joburg Open, and is hoping that his mission to follow in Lee’s footsteps and qualify from the Challenge Tour will begin on a strong note this week.
“Craig had a great start,” he commented, “I thought he was going to win the first one, and of course I know Branden (Grace) quite well, and he’s been unbelievable. The difference is putting, these guys are all holing putts. I do think I have the game from tee to green, definitely.
“I hope this is my year, it’s just getting in the right frame of mind, head down and getting on with it week-to-week.
“The course is a bit like home, hard and fiery. It’s quite tight here as well, which is good. If the wind gets up it will be tough and I heard the greens were even harder this year, but it’s a good course.”
Raymond Russell, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of a full season after a virus ruled him out for a large part of the 2011 European Tour season, having qualified through the Challenge Tour the previous year.
“I’m really looking forward to playing again,” said the 39 year old, who has won on both The European Tour and Challenge Tour. “I didn’t play much last year at all. From December 2010 to about September 2011 I didn’t play at all, so it’s just a case of getting back into it and getting sharper.
“Physically I’m fine, mentally it’s just a case of playing now, I had a bit of momentum going into 2011 and it just stopped so it’s just a case of starting to post scores now. I’ve got no excuses anymore.”
Other Scots involved in India this week are Callum Macaulay, who will be hoping to go a step further this year after finishing in 49th position in the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2011, Andrew McArthur, who will hope to make a return to The European Tour after finishing 198th in The Race to Dubai last year, and Jack Doherty, who was 79th in last year’s Challenge Tour Rankings.